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1. Ratings
First, you generate your ratings. Choose one of the two following methods. You will want to consider what sort of character you want as you are doing this, and see the chart below that shows minimum required numbers.
a. Roll dice, keeping the best three, starting with nine and removing one die each roll until only three dice are rolled. This generates seven ratings, to cover STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA COM. You may place the ratings where you wish after rolling all seven.
b. Start with 100 points. Distribute them across the seven ratings, STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA COM, with the following restrictions:
(1) no rating may be lower than 11. If, for some reason, you want a rating of 10 or lower, it still costs you 11 points.
(2) For Strength, you can roll exceptional strength and it costs you only 1 point. Or, you can pick your exceptional strength, at these costs: 01-50 costs 1, 51-75 costs 3, 76-90 costs 5, 91-99 costs 7, and 00 costs 10.
(3) No rating may be higher than 18, except strength.
(4) Cavaliers get a percentile die roll on Strength, Dexterity and Constitution at level 1. At each level after that, they roll 2d10 and add that number to the rating.
2. Choose a race and class.
I do not use class/race limitations for single classed characters except for Barbarians and Monks who must be human; and Bards who must be human or half-elf, but I do use them for multi-class characters - see the bottom of the page linked. I also restrict class/alignment per the book.
A quick overview of the various classes:
Fighter - your basic plate-mail wearing warrior, typically specializes in use of one melee or missile weapon; melee is more common.
Ranger - plate mail wearing warrior, but more woods-skills oriented, has bonuses to fighting giants and humanoids (like orcs and such). However, see expanded alignment rules for rangers.
Paladin - classic 'knight in shining armor', excels at mounted combat, has a strict 'code of honor', some spells granted by their deity. As of July 2017, I am allowing paladins to be of any alignment other than true Neutral; the section in the Player's Handbook about them can be read to replace good with evil as needed, and law with chaos as needed.
Cavalier - sort of a relaxed paladin, less strict, less religious. Cavaliers can also be of any alignment other than true Neutral, with expected alternations to rules.
Barbarian - fighters who prefer light armor and who hate magic. Hard to play in a high level campaign, as there is so much magic; they typically destroy any magic items they can get their hands on. Note the contents of this page on special barbarian abilities.
Cleric - plate mail wearing priest, always has a particular deity they serve, and which grants them various spell powers and combat skills.
Druid - nature priest, wears leather armor, similar to cleric but more nature oriented.
Maqic-user - typical wizard, no armor, powerful spell caster.
Illusionist - a specialist magic-user, who can mostly only cast illusions, but those he can do are more powerful than a regular magic-user.
Thief - leather armor wearing sneak fighter, has many skills relating to sneaking, tricks, traps, ambushes, and so on.
Assassin - Similar to a thief, but not as good at the sneaky skills, but better at killing.
Monk - oriental martial artist, typically has a different variety of skills, which often include barehanded combat.
Bard - A combination of fighter, thief and musician, with some spell-casting. Note that bards do not get any thief hit dice until and if their thief level exceeds their fighter level; also, they get not bard hit dice until their bard level exceeds their highest other class level. In addition, their rate of attacks for weapons will be either their fighter rate, or bard rate, whichever is higher, but their fighter rate of attacks will not improve after they stop their fighter leveling. A bard must level up their fighter class to something between 5 and 7, and their thief class to something between 5 and 9, in any combination they choose (there are no restrictions on requirements beyond that).
Minimum ratings for each class are below. Note that I do not use racial minimums or maximums, and I do not use gender minimums or maximums.
All characters are used exactly as written, with the following exceptions:
Clerics and Druids gain special spells and abilities. These will be similar to those of your deity, and will be unknown until after you begin play.
Thieves are much more powerful. Thieves and Assassins can backstab with any missile weapon they are proficient with in their thief or assassin classes. The thief-acrobat class may be ignored, as all thieves have all of the ‘acrobat’ abilities. Assassins gain these abilities as a thief two levels lower than their assassin level. Remove Traps extends to magical traps. Thieves and assassins know magical solvents and chemicals which can destroy the enchantments of glyphs, runes and the like. The chance to remove such a trap is the same as a chance to remove non-magical traps, but failure always means the trap goes off. Thief and assassin backstab multiplier will include the plus of the weapon used, including the sum of bow and arrow, but not sharpness oil, strength, or other enchantments or modifiers.
In addition, the maximum level for assassins has been increased to 22, with an experience range of 500,000 per level. There are no maximum number of assassins of any particular level, and assassins over level 14 gain some additional abilities not listed in the Player’s Handbook.
Multi-classed characters can advance in level to as high as their prime requisite in each class. This can be exceeded by no more than one level with effects such as a familiar, or a magic item that grants a level such as a class level book (Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms, for instance) read when the character is at maximum level; if the book was read prior, it would not allow them to exceed the level cap.
Bards are as per PHB, except they do not get Thief hit dice until their thief class passes their fighter class, and likewise for Bard and Thief. As of January 2 2014, I have expanded the Bard class to include other class options; see the Rule Changes page for details.
Monks use the Monk from the Dragon Magazine (far superior to the one in the PHB). In addition, the rules for having a limited number of monks for higher levels are discarded.
Druids - the rules for having a limited number of druids for higher levels are discarded.
Each character has 10,000 gold pieces to spend to equip themselves, including field and full plate mail if desired.
Players may also buy any potions from the DMG, not including poison or cursed potions.
Characters may choose nonweapon proficiencies from any of the first edition books. You may also invent them, with my approval.
Characters should read through the notes in the Rules Changes in the players' folder, or on this site.
Players start with no magic, but can attempt to purchase some from other players and from non-player characters.
Racial adjustments to character ratings may be kept or discarded. Likewise, initial aging adjustments may be kept or discarded.
All new characters start at the bottom of 7th level. Multi-classed characters start as close to the bottom of seventh as possible, depending on their classes.
Clerics, druids and other characters who gain spells from a deity must be the same exact alignment as their deity.
Players may create their own history, background, height, weight, hair color, handedness and the like, but all are subject to my approval.
Barbarians may roll a d4 +1 to determine how many of the tertiary abilities (UA pg. 20) they receive, and then choose the ones they like, unless totally unreasonable based on their area of origin.
3. Roll hit points
As you will start at level 7, you will need to roll 7 hit dice, and record each roll in order.
If you roll below average for the level 1 die, then you automatically get the number which is above average - 3 for d4, 4 for d6, 5 for d8, 6 for d10, 7 for d12.
4. Choose Race
Note that you can choose to use the ratings adjustments for the race you choose, or not - refers to the items below in bold.
Note that in general, surface dwelling races have Ultravision (see outside by starlight) and subterranean races have Infravision (seeing by heat). This does not apply to 'monsters'.
RACIAL ABILITIES:
Dwarf: +1 on saves vs. magic/rods/staves/wands for each 3.5 constitution points ; +1 vs. poison per each 3.5 constitution points; speak dwarf, gnome, goblin, kobold, orc, common; infravision; detect traps involving stonework %75; +1 to hit giant class; -4 to armor class vs. giant class. Starting adjustments: +1 constitution, -1 charisma; duergar get -1 on comeliness, others get -1. A minor note, dwarven females do not have beards.
Elf - Wood, Grey and High : 90% resistance to sleep and charm; +1 to hit with any non-crossbow and short or long sword; speak elf, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orc, gnoll, common; ultravision (see in the dark outdoors at night); find secret doors 3/10 or 6/10 if looking. For each point of intelligence over 15, elves may choose one additional language. Grey Elf - +1 intelligence, +1 dexterity, -1 constitution, +2 comeliness. High Elf: +1 dex, -1 con, +2 com.
The differences in these three types of elves are not mechanical, only in background.
Wood elves tend more towards Neutral alignment, and hail from forests and woodlands. They tend towards fair complexion, yellow to coppery red hair, and eyes of light brown, light green, or hazel.
Grey elves are rare and are looked upon as the noblest of elves. The tend to be reclusive, living in isolated meadowlands. They generally have silver hair and amber eyes, or pale golden hair and violet eyes.
High elves are the most common sort of elves, have a very wide variation in appearance, and most often are the type who associate with humans. They live in any sort of environment.
Elf – Grugach: 90% resistance to sleep and charm; +1 to hit with any non-crossbow and short or long sword; speak elf, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orc, gnoll, common; ultravision; find secret doors 3/10 or 6/10 if looking. +2 to strength (Maximum 18). Set pits, snares and natural traps with 90% chance of success.
Drow: +2 vs. magic; 90% resistance to sleep and charm; 12" infravision; detect secret doors 3/10 or 6/10 if looking; detect new construction 75%, stonework traps 50%, sliding walls 2/3, depth underground 50%; move silently 2/3; surprised only 1/8; use the following 1/day: dancing lights, faerie fire, darkness 5' radius; at 4th level, can cast detect magic, know alignment, levitate 1/day ; if female and 4th level, can also cast clairvoyance, detect lie (or reverse), suggestion, dispel magic 1/day; full daylight or continual light reduces dexterity by 2, give -2 to hit and enemies recieve +2 on saves from attacks ; if in dark area, but attacking enemy in lit area , dex -1 and -1 to hit and +1 on enemies saves. Drow - +1 on intelligence, +1 on dexterity, -1 on constitution.
Characters which leave the drow homelands underground can choose to keep their powers, or renounce them; there are some drawbacks to having them. If the powers are renounced, characters are left with only the 90% resistance to sleep and charm.
Gnome: +1 on saves vs. magic/rods/staves/wands for each 3.5 consitution points ; speak dwarf,gnome, halfling, goblin, kobold, burrowing mammal; infravision; +1 to hit kobolds, goblins; -4 on armor class vs. giant class. Deep gnome: -1 com. Surface gnome: -1 com.
Half-elf: 30% resistance to sleep/charm; speak elf, gnome, halfling, goblin, hobgoblin, orc, gnoll; infravision; find secret doors 3/10 or 6/10 if looking. +1 comeliness.
Halfling: +1 on saves vs. magic/rods/staves/wands for each 3.5 constitution points ; +1 vs. poison per each 3.5 constitution points; speak dwarf,elf, gnome, goblin, halfling, orc; infravision. All types: -1 str, +1 dex.
Half-orc: speak common, orc; infravision 60'. +1 str, +1 con, -2 cha, -3 com.
5. Proficiencies
Depending on your class, you will have a number of weapon proficiencies and non-weapon proficiencies. Clerics and druids may have a special weapon proficiency, depending on the deity - some of them prefer their servants to use a particular weapon. In addition, in order to properly perform their class, the following are required to be taken as non-weapon proficiencies:
Magic-users, illusionists, clerics and druids: reading and writing
Assassins - poison use
A list of non-weapon proficiencies can be found here.
The DM will determine a few traits of your character, either randomly or using certain charts in the books. These include age, maximum age, social status, secondary skill (the skill your family taught you growing up), and a few other things. You may choose your birth month and day, your height and weight, hair color, eye color, and the like, within reason.
Aging will be determined with these tables, with one year added per starting level (currently 7).
HUMAN TABLE: (note the Bard starting age is my rule)
CLASS: AGE PLUS VARIABLE: CLASS: AGE PLUS VARIABLE:
Cleric 18+1d4 Magic User 24+2d8
Druid 18+1d4 Illusionist 30+1d6
Fighter 15+1d4 Thief 18+1d4
Ranger 20+1d4 Thief-Acrobat 20+1d4
Barbarian 14+1d4 Assassin 20+1d4
Cavalier 17+1d8 Monk 21+1d4
Paladin 17+1d4 Bard 25+1d4
SOCIAL CLASS TABLE: BIRTH TABLE:
DICE ROLL: SOCIAL/ECONOMIC CLASS: DICE ROLL: ORDER OF BIRTH:
01-04 Lower Lower Class 01-05 Only Child
05-10 Middle Lower Class 06-10 1st Child
11-20 Upper Lower Class 11-20 2nd Child
21-35 Lower Middle Class 21-35 3rd Child
36-55 Middle Middle Class 36-50 4th Child
56-87 Upper Middle Class 51-65 5th Child
88-96 Lower Upper Class 66-80 6th Child
97-99 Middle Upper Class 81-85 7th Child
00 Upper Upper Class 86-90 8th Child
91-94 9th Child
95-97 10th Child
98-99 11th Child
00 12th Child
PARENT’S MARITAL STATUS TABLE:
DICE ROLL: MARITAL STATUS:
01-80 Parents legally married
81-00 Parents unmarried [the child of unmarried parents is typically one
social class lower than the social class of the highest social class of either parent.]
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