So I'm a pretty experienced paper DM but the char creation rules stump me. I get the duplication of skills and why they exist, i even get the translation from different rules systems and the starting xp.

So here's my question:

Roleing a new character using Into the Storm as well as the main rules for a character gen path, in reverse from Rogue Trader backwards as the roles are already assigned within the party.

If a character starts at 4500xp to reflect starting background and has 500xp to 'spend' in the core rules to make them Rank 1, if they start taking alternative backgrounds that 'cost', are they deducting the xp from the 4500 as part of the background xp or the 500 xp they have to spend?

So in this way they could only ever pay for one,possibly 2 of the options from ITS?

P17 of ITS states: The cost is deducted from the character's starting experience. So does that mean he gets the 4500xp plus the 500 xp then deducts the background he has taken. In this way he would then have less xp than the 5000 starting and would be less than rank 1. That sort of makes sense given it would cost him more to advance to rank 2?

Any thoughts are appreciated

The 4500xp are only there for comparison with the other 40k systems (which doesn't really work, truth be told). The character does not get to use those for anything. You can only spend your starting 500xp on choices from the origin chart, but any xp you spend there still counts as spent, and is added to the 4500 already "spent" on your origin path. If you buy origin path choices for 400xp, you count as having spent 4900xp in total, and you have 100xp left to spend.

You cannot be below Rank 1, even if you save your starting xp. If you were, you'd have nothing to spend your xp on and no way to rank up.

Magellan, you are in fact wrong. Experience spent on Origin picks with an experience cost does not count as "Spent" at all. They are simply burned, although "burned" in this case is not official terminology, I just tend to use it to draw a parallel to the terminology for Fate Points.

Whether you can actually burn your "Spent" starting experience (the 4500) is a matter of debate. It's not entirely clear on that at all.

Edit: Into the Storm, pg.17

As mentioned earlier, when choosing one of these new selections, players should note that they have three choices. The player selects the option he wishes for his character and applies the effects. Because of the depth and power these new choices provide, each selection costs a listed number of experience points. This cost is deducted from the character’s starting experience. Note that once a character has been created, the player cannot go back and later purchase these options — this must be done during character creation. Also, any modifications made to an Explorer due to taking these new choices does not count as an Advance for the purposes of increasing in rank, nor do increases or reductions count toward the improvement of a Characteristic through normal means.

Yeah, this has always bugged me too as it can often lead to the brilliant 'no starting xp' situation, but I've always read it as coming from the 500 (or however much additional starting xp you're giving the group).

Huh, would you look at that. I guess it doesn't count toward ranking up. Still, I doubt the intention was to allow people to spend experience that's already spent. I can't imagine they meant you get to spend your 4500.

If nothing else, using XP that's already in the hole to stack up on bonus stats and abilities you couldn't get anywhere else is just obviously better than keeping it.

Huh, would you look at that. I guess it doesn't count toward ranking up. Still, I doubt the intention was to allow people to spend experience that's already spent. I can't imagine they meant you get to spend your 4500.

If nothing else, using XP that's already in the hole to stack up on bonus stats and abilities you couldn't get anywhere else is just obviously better than keeping it.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge that as such, because it is very possible to delay your rankup with a thousand experience or more. Starting with 4000 xp is very easily achievable, meaning that you have to spend several thousand experience points in Rank 1.

And I don't think I have to tell any of our veteran players here was a **** pain that is.

Thanks for the replies guys, at least it seems I had the same idea. Magellan I take your points, I tend to look at it as since its an alternative path than the path costs more therefore the character would need to earn more to achieve the next rank. Shaky logic I know. However that is how I will continue to rule it, though I will take it from the 4500 not the extra 500 first.

Fgdsfg if you do find that reference which clarifies I would appreciate a heads up

thanks