Starting with Tales from Equestria
This section will go over the best way to begin in Tales for Equestria.
Step 1: Claim Your Starting Items
PaperDemon does not currently alert moderators when new members join the group, so to get your starting items you will need to claim them manually.
Visit the New Member Item Claim and comment to let a moderator know you are due for your starting items. You do not need the items to be in your inventory to continue.
Step 2: Background Information
First thing to do is to read some information…boring I know, but very important!
Please make sure you read the Terms of Service for the group. This is essentially the group rules!
Next read the History of Equestria, to get a sense of what is going on in the world. This takes place long after Friendship is Magic. You may also want to look at this guide on past lore and events to get a sense of what's been going on in the world of late!
Next up is character creation, the fun part!
Step 3: Character Creation
All characters have what is called a Genetic Profile. This is a description of the markings, characteristics, and mutations that a character has in their genetics. It is what helps determine what a character looks like. When designing a character, you can only use what is a part of their Genetic Profile and Common Markings to design them. Descriptions for all possible markings, characteristics, and mutations can be found here.
A key thing to remember: You do NOT need to show all markings, characteristics, and mutations. You can leave them off the design entirely. However, they will stay in your character’s Genetic Profile.
How do you get a Genetic Profile to build a character? That comes down to what you’re using for Character Creation.
To make a character in Tales for Equestria, you will need to redeem an item. Most characters are created using a type of train ticket item, though other items do exist.
When you redeem a regular Train Ticket, you will get a randomly generated Genetic Profile and a Random Color Hex Code. The Genetic Profile determines what markings, characteristics, and mutations you can use in your design. The Random Color Hex Code is a color that has to be used somewhere in the design. Doesn’t matter where!
When you redeem a First-Class Train Ticket, you get to build your character’s genetic profile from scratch! This means you can custom build a character with any common species or higher rarity species you have unlocked. There is no limit to how many markings, characteristics, or mutations your character can have.
Lastly, there are VIP Train Tickets. These get you premade characters, either from events or refugee (adopt) sales. These have pre-set genetic profiles and corresponding designs to go with them.
2x Train Tickets = 1x First-Class Train Ticket
All new members start with 2 train tickets or 1 first-class train ticket. Don’t worry if you don’t see them in your PaperDemon inventory right away…moderators have to manually add them in.
So as a new member, you have two options…
| Option A: Roll two random ponies using your two Train Tickets. You will get two randomized Genetic Profiles and Random Color Hex Codes. | Option B: Trade in your two Train Tickets for one First-Class Train Ticket to create your own custom character or bring in an existing character! |
No matter what option you choose, the design stage is now up to you!
Design Tip 1: Most markings can go anywhere on a character! If they are meant for a specific spot only, it will say so in the description found under Genetic Profiles.
Design Tip 2: Don’t like a marking or characteristic? Don’t use it in the design! Sometimes less is more.
Design Tip 3: Stuck on what colors to use? Try this handy dandy color palette generator! Just insert your Random Color Hex Code and BAM! Tons of palettes to choose from!
Have your character designed and ready to go? You’re almost ready to go…but first we need to look at one more thing.
Step 4: Choosing Character Starting Stats
All characters in Tales from Equestria have Stats! These are important at various points in the game for deciding the outcome of events! Stats are roughly based around Dungeons and Dragons in some ways, but different in others. Here are the basic descriptions of all the Stats.
Strength (STR): How much your character can lift or how hard they can hit. Often determines damage!
Dexterity (DEX): How fast your character can move or how well and accurately they can manipulate objects. Often determines hits and dodges.
Constitution (CON): Your character’s durability in terms of physical resilience. This determines health, but also resistances to diseases, poisons, etc.
Wisdom (WIS): How well your character perceives the world around them. Good for finding things or seeing things others don’t.
Intelligence (INT): Your character’s booksmarts or academic knowledge. Used for unicorn magic and tasks based on memory and study.
Charisma (CHA): How personable or charming your character is, how good they are in social situations. Often used for persuasion and deception.
Characters level up their Stats as they progress in Tales from Equestria, but they have to start somewhere!
Starting Stats are determined by two factors: the Standard Array and Species Bonuses.
The Standard Array gives you a set of starting numbers to assign to the different stats as you see fit. Everyone gets the same starting numbers, but where you place them is up to you!
The Standard Array is as follows: 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Assign these numbers in any order to your character’s Stats, but you can only use each number once!
Species Bonuses are applied after you have used the Standard Array. These are bonuses given to stats based on your character’s species.
If your species is a hybrid, you may use two bonus stats from either one or both species. The bonus stats may not exceed two unless one of the species is rare!
Please note that you must calculate in species bonuses yourself, moderators will not include them for you!
Earth Pony Bonus: +2 STR
Pegasus Species Bonus: +2 DEX
Unicorn Species Bonus: +2 INT
Bat Pony Species Bonus: +1 DEX, +1 WIS
Changeling Species Bonus: +1 DEX, +1 CHA
Bovine Species Bonus: +1 STR, +2 CON
Deer Species Bonus: +1 DEX, +2 WIS
Once you have all your starting character’s Stats ready, you’re ready for the final stretch! Time to submit the character to the group!
Step 5: Character Submission
Once you’re ready to submit your character, it’s time to head over to the Character Submission page.
There are a couple of things you need to have together before you can submit a character. They are the following…
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Once you have all of this, you may submit your character using the Character Submission Form.
Do NOT try to create the character on PaperDemon yourself. Moderators need to do this, or the character will not be a part of the group.
Moderators will then create the character, add them to your PaperDemon account, as well as add all of the Genetic Profile information in the Admin Notes section. It will look something like this.
You will be able to see your characters Progression Points, level, abilities, etc. here.
Under “Player Notes” you are welcome to put any additional information you desire.
“Admin Notes” will have all the Genetic Profile information for your character, as well as their Stats.
Something important to note is the “Submission Tag” listed under Common fields. This is how you tag your character anytime you create a visual or written submission on PaperDemon.
All submissions, whether written or visual, have an “add tag” section. This is where you want to tag your character or even others! You also want to tag the group using the #TE tag!
This is not, however, how you submit a piece to the group for currency. For that, please read the blog on Submissions.
This concludes the New Member Guide! If you have further questions, please feel free to ask other members or an admin!
