Roles used to be handed out whole — the entire arsenal at once. Now a role has a biography: a starting snapshot, stages, and transitions you have to earn.
Snapshot — what the role gets at the start: stats, techniques with their tier, gear, flags. The showcase shows it before you take the role
Origin — clan or village is picked on the showcase; rare ones unlock for Hap
Stages — a role version = a stage of life. The timeline only moves forward, with “Now” and “Passed” marked
Transition — grow into the next stage's snapshot and the move is free, even for a premium version. Fall short and the “To the next stage” panel shows what's missing: Taijutsu 30/45, technique tier 2/3
Itachi in the ninja world goes from child to Edo Tensei, and his illness grows with him — from first signs to a night cough that eats stamina.