What are the character creation parameters for Incarna going to be for 5th Ed variant?

Choose what you want to be first - character envisioning will be a strong suit. Read through the PHB and your setting materials (like Steel Realms) and decide what race and class you want to start with. You will be focusing your essence and abilities on that. One of the biggest differences between Incarna and DnD is that the character process is a lot more constrained, but has a lot more options. Your race and place constrain your class and/or class path choice - there are cultural and social fabric which just does not produce certain classes or paths. Additionally, there are more backgrounds and starting character traits.

See The "Incarna" flavor/variant of DnD 5th Edition.
PHB Basic reference: http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules?x=dnd/basicrules
PHB Errata: http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/PH_Errata_1.1.pdf
Character Sheets: http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/character_sheets 

Step 1: Race

The PHB will be the defacto starting point, with the Steel Realms an errata of changes and inclusion/exclusions. See Races of the Steel Realms. Race may be constrained by locale, and determine class and other options including alignment. 

Ancestry:

Fey

• Occult aptitude

Fiend

Primal

Infernal

Orrish (Steel Realms)

• Kinetic Aptitude

Olde Ones (Steel Realms)

Transcendent (Steel Realms)

Dumastorian (Steel Realms)

Step 2: Locale

Locale may be constrained by race, and determine class and other options including alignment. 

Step 3: Class

Class will be dependent on where the character is from and race/ancestry. Class may be constrained by race and locale, and determine other options including alignment. 

Barbarian - Berserker
- Anywhere
Barbarian - Totem Warrior
- Pine Tribes, Klaurian, Wyld Elf
Bard - College of Lore
- Human only, from Oerdney. May take 1 level of Druid as 2nd level
Bard - College of Valor

Cleric

See http://incarna5thdnd.blogspot.com/p/converting-incarna-mystic-and-magic.html
Cleric requires 2 Essence. Must be the alignment of their deity or its particular sect they follow.
Gain starting Piety depending on the Oath of Loyalty they swear. Reducing their oath binds later reduces their piety by double the amount they would normally gain.
Automatically Gain Sense Divinity (Insight Skill DC 10) - know when they tread on holy grounds or if a person is bound to a particular faith (senses the primary alignment of the deity)

Cleric - Domain of Knowledge
Balthazaar
Malek
Ezrilus
Everdark
Gloombringer
Gaia

Cleric - Domain of Light
Ikribu
Aerna
Whelm
Balthazaar

Cleric - Domain of Life
Gaia
Darupet
Aerna
Whelm
Ezrilus

Cleric - Domain of Nature
Gaia
Darupet
Elancil

Cleric - Domain of Tempest
Ikribu
Elancil
Sun stealer
Everdark

Cleric - Domain of Trickery
Malek
Gloombringer

Cleric - Domain of War
Whelm
Balthazaar
Ikribu
Elancil
Sun stealer
Everdark

Cleric - Domain of Death (Lich Lords lands only)
Djerduth
Everdark
Sun stealer
Gloombringer

Druid

See http://incarna5thdnd.blogspot.com/p/converting-incarna-mystic-and-magic.html
Must take a level of Cleric (Beast Lord), and a level of Warlock (Fey), and possess the following Traits:
Then can take a level of Druid (Gaia)
May never take any other classes besides Monk (Four Elements); Warlock maximum level = 2.
Druid - Circles available by climate/terrain

Fighter

Fighter - Champion
Fighter - Battle Master
Fighter - Elritch Knight
- only in gladnor and depending on knight order... Ezrilus gas ine in heartlands

Monk - Way of the Open Hand
- Only in
Monk - Way of Shadows
- Only in Beryl; hidden sects
Monk - Way of the Four Elements
- Only in the southlands - new aesthetic orders serving the beast archetypes

Paladin - Oath of Devotion
Paladin - Oath of the Ancients
- only in

Paladin - Oath of Vengeance
Paladin - Oathbreaker (Lich Lords servants, Darklands Ork)

Ranger - Hunter
Ranger - Beastmaster
- only for those venerating the green church
Must have piety 1 with some freen faith

Rogue - Thief
Rogue - Assassin
Rogue - Arcane Trickster
- vale evander is the only place where magic may be taught in this mercenary way. Or grimoires are needed

Sorcerer = Not Available Initially

Psychic - Waiting on DnD

Warlock

See http://incarna5thdnd.blogspot.com/p/converting-incarna-mystic-and-magic.html
Warlock requires 3 Essence for 1st level and nearly no training or study (depending on pact nature). for their pact - and they need NOT be the alignment of their patron or show a holy symbol. Its an exchange of power, plain and simple. Warlocks do not get Piety.
The patron of a Warlock must come from an list of patrons in the Steel Realms who can exchange powers in a pact format.
A character may bond with a Patron without meeting the min. CHA requirements by sacrificing 1 point of WIS permanently and 4 Essence.
Patron (max Warlock level); expected sacrifice (if 3 essence not enough)
Unlike faith, Warlock requires no adoption of any creed or alignment per se, though every power the warlock uses is an act of supplication and must be examined through that filter. A patron may refuse a warlock at any time, due to the lack of immediate reciprosity or the breaking of the terms of the pact. Faith bonds allow much more flexibility in the greater picture - trespasses may be forgiven for a long term gain, or rather the ends justifying the means.

Pact Bond: What are proscribed and prohibited
colors
materials
food or drink
behaviors
causes
goals


Supplication: A character begs for intercession from a higher power, exalting that power and suborning their own, however great, temporal power before it. A deity must be visited this way through prayer and worship at proscribed times, to nourish the bond between the two. It is at these moments that the petitioner asks for continued support and use of powers, skills, and knowledge in the name of the deity and faith, in exchange for continuing to follow and exalt the tenets and serve the causes of the faith.

See Essence

Warlock at 3rd

Feywild glimpse. Fey

Void wash. Old

Rending despair. Fiend

Using SAN, dividing it up between area and damage. No save. Only the Warlock is unaffected.

= burst of power wash. San x 1m. San in dmg. And 1 level of exhaustion if 4+. San returns after short rest

Dc 15 san check chance for seepage. Elemental. Shadow. Fiend ... Minor to step through

A Warlock can only do this if their patron allows them - they must have gained Piety(1)... IE they must have done something great. This typically means they must have killed for them - a sacrifice of a chosen enemy. The act expends the good will and requires another act in favor of the patron to reclaim. 

Everdark (Fiend - no limit)

• Warlock - Pact of the Chain
• Warlock - Pact of the Blade
• Warlock - Pact of the Tome

Gloombringer (Fiend - 4)

• Warlock - Pact of the Chain
• Warlock - Pact of the Blade

Sunstealer (Fiend - 8)

• Warlock - Pact of the Blade

Malek (Old One - no limit if same alignment; 4 otherwise)

• Warlock - Pact of the Chain
• Warlock - Pact of the Blade
• Warlock - Pact of the Tome

Elancil (Old One - no limit Gwinnish; 7 otherwise)

• Warlock - Pact of the Chain

Ezrilus (Archfey - no limit if same alignment; 7 otherwise); 1 less essence if starting Grollen

• Warlock - Pact of the Tome

The Witch of Dwindor (Archfey - 3)

• Warlock - Pact of the Chain

Warlocks can bind an essence to a creature they summoned to keep it around until it dies. They can have a maximum bound HD = their SAN this way. 

Wizard

Wizard has optional 1 Essence component: Weave Sight
See http://incarna5thdnd.blogspot.com/p/converting-incarna-mystic-and-magic.html

Wizard - Abjuration
Wizard - Conjuration
Wizard - Divination
Wizard - Enchantment
Wizard - Evocation
Wizard - Illusion
Wizard - Necromancy
Wizard - Transmutation


Mystic Seeker: A character might take a spell caster class, but not be able to use spells right way. Training and knowledge is needed.

Step 4: Ability Generation

First, decide on an essence affinity and aptitude. No matter what, all characters will have enough essence to choose these. This will replace one of the ability generation rolls, using an improve 13 + D5 in place of 3 D6.

For all 7 abilities (adding SANity) roll 3D6 and if more than a single "1" is rolled, re-roll; re-generate the lowest final stat of the 7 and take the best of the 2. Arrange however you want. During this process, replace one of these with an improved one based on your essence choices (if you do this). You can see the correlation between Incarna Attributes and DnD Abilities.

Step 5: Essence

Essence (aptitude) is a core concept to Incarna and will continue to be. It will replace any rules governing how many magic items, cybernetic enhancements, etc. you can possess. Essence stays the core empowering rating for life (things that matter in the game). Essence has a base rating of starting (SAN+CHA)/2.
Essence can be raised! Each 6 character levels +1, and major accomplishments (plane traveling, campaign goals, etc.)
Can piety be exchanged for essence? Probably.

What can you do with essence? 
Race may determine their affinity, aptitude, and a primal vitality link - reducing starting essence choices.

Any temporary uses of essence return after a true Long Rest. 

1. Affinity - Every character can choose a single Affinity at no cost and can only have 1.
   This must be taken at the time of character creation. must have essence
2. Aptitude - Costs 2 essence per
   This must be taken at the time of character creation.
3. Primal vitality - Cost 1 essence, can only buy once.
4. Inner Strength: Each gaming session character can draw on their essence to use abilities normally out of reach by level. Cost = Take the difference between the required level and their class level and subtract this from the essence total; the ability is accessible for a single round. (MORE LATER - but the more you set aside, the more you can do this)
5. Make "magical" items (MORE WAY LATER)
6. Special Bindings
7. Core Feats - are non-spell casting 1st level class abilities accessible to characters to "purchase" with essence in between level jumps.
8. Power Well - With the "long rest" of DnD going from 1 night to the "gritty realism" setting of 1 week, you will be able to use essence to get access to powers as if you had a long rest during a short rest for 1 essence - it will not affect healing or the need for true rest, just the power well.
9. Primal Vitality - cost 1 Essence: Full HD +1 at 1st level, +1 if average taken for a HD, and a +3 on all death saves for going to negative HP

Occult Affinity: Rolling a single primary stat of INT you get 14 + D4
Occult Aptitude: Multiclassing minimums are reduced to 13 for: Wizard, Fighter (eldritch knight only), Rogue (arcane trickster only) + A one time bonus of +1 to a single skill when one of the classes is assumed

Divine Affinity: Rolling a single primary stat of WIS you get 14 + D4
Divine Aptitude: Multiclassing minimums are reduced to 13 for: Barbarian (totem warrior only), Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Monk (way of the elements) + A one time bonus of +1 to a single skill when one of the classes is assumed

Psychic Affinity: Rolling a single primary stat of CHA you get 14 + D4
Psychic Aptitude: Multiclassing minimums are reduced to 13 for: Bard, Warlock, Sorcerer + A one time bonus of +1 to a single skill when one of the classes is assumed

Kinetic Affinity: Rolling a single primary stat of DEX or STR or CON you get 14 + D4
Kinetic Aptitude: Multiclassing minimums are reduced to 13 for: Barbarian, Bard (college of valor only), Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Monk + A one time bonus of +1 to a single skill when one of the classes is assumed


Class Choices
@ Multiclassing: The minimum increases to 15 base.

Step 6: Hit Dice Roles

Choose average for class or role; not automatically maximum for starting characters. Minimum starting HD role is 2; re-roll any 1's. 

Step 7: Alignment

Alignment is nothing more than a Code of Conduct (its likely to be one of the foundations for gaining Inspiration uses - think of them like Action Points). Your class and race may preclude some options here. Class and locale may dictate alignment choices too

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Experience Points and Leveling

Experience points will not be used. Level increases are at the GM's discretion following accomplishments, attendance, and keeping up with challenges. Honestly, level increases are more for the sense of progress players needs, as the majority of encounters could be run around low-mid level parameters from start to end of a campaign. The emphasis is on story, intrigue, and then combat. 


In between leveling the GM will grant skill bonuses based on study time, access to Core Abilities with study time and use of essence points.