Preview of “optional methods of characteristic generation”?

[daskindt]

We used point buy for our new campaign. I hate random character generation.

I ended up giving each player 98 points to buy their characteristics. I used the 92+3 method as a baseline, but I also charged a little extra for stats approaching max, so I gave the 3 extra points to account for that altered cost.

For the 3D6 stats, they paid 1 point per point in a stat up to 15. They paid 2 points for each point from 16-18. So 16/17/18 cost 17/19/21 points.

For the 2D6+6 stats, they paid 1 point per point in a stat up to 16. They paid 2 points for each point from 17-18. So 17/18 cost 18/20 points.

Modifiers from Runes and/or Homelands came after.

We ended up with very similar characteristics as the pregen characters in the book. Most of the pregens are within a point or two of the point buy system we used.

They was some min/max-ing, but not an excessive amount. I’m sure part of that was all the players are new to RuneQuest and Glorantha. The Skill Modifiers certainly contribute to point thresholds and some points of attributes being more valuable than others. I’d prefer a system much more like RQ3 where each point can help or hurt the modifier.

[jps]

I really like the system as it's working now: I'm allowing my players to take all of the optional rules (reroll 1s, reroll when the stat is lower than 9 or 6). It's working for us.

One more thing I almost forgot since I've been house ruling that since I got RQ in the mid-80s: roll 3D6 five times and dispatch amongst STR, CON, DEX, POW and CHA, then roll 2D6+6 twice to distribute between SIZ and INT.

When I was GMing RQ3 my players would roll the dice then allocate the results between their various stats,  we would then calculate the total and if it was lower than 91 they could distribute the difference between their stats (not exceeding the max range at character creation). So that an 84 total would give you 7 points to allocate in the stats you chose.

[Rob Darvall]

Character creation in our first game of RQG was a ball. We did straight random gen for everything and the six players (ages 7 to 50) had to make up backstories to fit. The youngest is a scribe (who just evaluated Polybius's Books of Elephantis in time to stop the Llama rider from pulping them) exiled to Pavis for unspecified offenses in Boldhome and the others are similarly interesting, including the bagpipe playing berserk who looks like becoming a trickster eventually. If you've not got a specific story in mind random rolls can throw up delightful ideas.

[21st Century Moose]

My system was to keep re-rolling until you got something you were happy with.

This comes up regularly enough, and something that's often overlooked is that in RQ initial characteristics are really not that important. A few play sessions and with disease spirits, POW gain, training, etc you're going to be totally different. 

So yeah, roll or pick, it's actually not as big a deal as in other systems. 

[Mugen]

A system I like is to roll 1d6+7 (varies according to species) for all stats, in order, then spend X points among them, with a maximum of 5 points per stat.

It gives a different distributions than the standard 2d6+6 for SIZ & INT, 3d6 for others, but I prefer to have the same range for all stats for humans.

[Roy Le Comte]

19 D6 allocate stats,  min str con 8 ...

Other method , min str con 6 .

Anyone remember stat minimums in allocation methods ? 

 

[Akhôrahil]

As a rule, I think it’s good if the chargen system matches the kind of game it is. D&D is a strongly Gamist game, and then it makes sense that you have points-buy (it’s both fair and strategic). RQ is a simulationist (”see what would happen”) game, and there low-control rolling makes sense - you play with what you get.

On the other hand, few people like bland or crippling rolls, so you might want to mitigate that. Choosing between two or three sets adds some agency (and more importantly, the feeling of agency).

Probably the strongest combination of fair and unexpected would take a little computer skill, but you could probably do it even in Excel. Auto-generate a huge amount of complete characteristics rolls, decide what total you like, select out 100 or 1000 of those, and have the player randomise one of these sets. The only downside is that players like to roll, so it might feel impersonal. Probably give them a choice of two or three here as well, honestly.

[Akhôrahil]

(Double post)

Edited August 19 by Akhôrahil

[Akhôrahil]

(Triple post, sheesh! Moderators, feel free to delete,)

Edited August 19 by Akhôrahil

[PaulJW]

For base stat rolls I generally go with the best 3 of 4d6 approach.  That works fine for us.  My players are generally fairly happy with that.

However, the one aspect of character generation my players have moaned about is the Family History part of it.  More specifically their objections are: 1) It takes too long and 2) They want to generate their own character backstory (or 3) I really don't care about grandpa).

I don't see anything wrong the the Family History bit personally.  However, in the interests of a peaceful life I have replaced it with an alternative.  Basically I let them write their own backstory/family history based around the history/culture they belong to.  They can pick a passion or raise a passion based on some event or other they make up in their own backstory (as long as it makes sense).  I also let them pick ONE from the following list (which I am still developing):

You have a famous ancestor who died heroically in battle:

o   +1d3% reputation

o   You have the option to gain Honour Passion

Spoke/told stories at several tribal or clan moots, feasts or festivals. +5% Orate.  Make Oratory roll:

o   Fumble, your efforts largely created a negative impression, your speeches are dreaded, -1d3% reputation.

o   Success +1d3% reputation

o   Special or crit, +1d100 Lunars, +1d6% reputation

You have often performed (acting, singing, dancing or playing an instrument) at clan festivals. +5% to any one of these skills.  Make a roll in this skill:

o   Fumble, your efforts were mostly poor.  Your performances are looked forward to with some dread by those who know you.  -1d3% reputation.

o   Success +1d3% reputation

o   Special or crit, +1d100 Lunars, +1d6% reputation

Fought in important battle(s) or skirmish(es). +5% Battle.  (see below). You have the option to pick Honour as a passion.  Make battle roll:

o   Fumble, receive a distinctive scar

o   Success +1d3% reputation

o   Special or crit, +1d100 plunder, +1d6% reputation

Rid your community of an evil spirit. +5% Spirit Combat.  Make spirit combat roll.

o   Fumble, your still have occasional nightmares about your experience.

o   Success +1d3% reputation

o   Special or crit, +1d100 reward for service to your community. +1d6% reputation

Participated in your clan’s summer games. +5% in one of Climb, Drive, Jump, Ride, or Swim.  Make a roll in that skill:

o   Fumble: Injured during the games, receive a distinctive scar

o   Success +1d3 reputation

o   Special or crit, +1d100 prize money. +1d6% reputation

You worked at your temple for several seasons. +5% Worship.    Make a worship roll.

o   Fumble: -1 pt of spirit magic from your cult at start.

o   Success: +1d3% reputation

o   Special or crit, your devotion earns you +1 pt Rune point from your cult at start. +1d6% reputation

At some time in your past, your community endured a desperate struggle for survival (due to floods/crop failure/raids/ harsh winter).  +5% Survival.  Make a survival roll.

o   Fumble: You suffered malnutrition. -1 STR.

o   Success: +1d3% reputation as you assisted others to survive the hard times.

o   Special or crit, your efforts to keep your friends/family alive earn the blessings of your god, +1 Rune point at start. +1d6% reputation.

If you are a thief belonging to the Lanbril cult, you were involved with an (in)famous burglary.  +5% Devise.  Make a Devise roll.

o   Fumble: You were (and remain) outlawed by the Lunar authorities.

o   Success: +5% thieves’ argot

o   Special or crit: Gain d100 Lunars of swag. +5% thieves’ argot.

You participated in a hunt for a ferocious wild beast (rogue wild boar, Sabre-toothed cat, Bear, Lion etc).  +5% Track. Make a track roll.

o   Fumble: Injured during the hunt, receive a distinctive scar

o   Success +1d3 reputation

o   Special or crit, you gain a necklace made from the claws/teeth of the beast you slew, worth 75L. +1d6% reputation

You spent several seasons in an archive, working on an important research project.  +5% Library Use.  Roll Library Use:

o   Fumble: You miscatalogued something important.  Librarians are reluctant to allow you access to important documents without a successful Charm or Oratory roll.

o   Success: +1d3 reputation

o   Special or crit, you gain a Lhankor Mhy mark (equip p126), +1d6% reputation

So, those are the house rules I now use in place of rolling for family history.  I probably would not have introduced them were it not for pressure from the masses, but I think they work well enough & add colour to character generation.  The downside, of course, is that I have to be careful to police the family history background the players come up with to make sure nothing too silly slips through the net.

[PaulJW]

The more astute among you may have noticed that my house rules for family history creates a little problem in character development in so far as it is asking characters to potentially make track or devise rolls before they have calculated any bonuses they might get from profession or cult.  For that reason I re-jigged the order in which the different steps in character generation occurs.  As a result, I use this as our steps in character generation these days:

1)        Roll base stats (p51-52).  Note in pencil on rough paper as these will need to be altered depending on final runic affiliations & homeland.

2)        Pick you homeland (from choices on p24-26)

3)        Pick your occupation (from choices on p63-73)

4)        Pick your cult (from choices on p73-79, plus additional allowable selection)

5)        Pick and calculate Rune affinities (taking account of cult requirements & the homeland you picked), p45

6)        Calculate final stats & characteristics, p53-60

7)        Calculate Homeland cultural skills, p60-63

8      Calculate Occupational bonuses & passions, p63-73

9)        Calculate Cult bonuses & passions, p73-79

10)       Calculate Past Character History bonuses and passions (see homerules)

11)       Calculate Personal Skill Bonuses, p79-80

12)       Calculate Other Info, p80-83

That allows any rolls done in the past character history bit to include bonuses calculated for occupation and cult.  I also get players to pick occupation and cult before calculating the bonuses from them, so that they can make sensible choices when they pick their runic affinities.

Edited August 22 by PaulJW