Goodman Games

Get some practice and make some 0 level characters. Here's mine-










Some thoughts that occurred while I was doing this-

The Birth Augur might be best left out as it only really makes sense if you have a positive bonus to your Luck. Example: Hawkeye doesn't make sense if I'm shooting at a -1 Luck penalty. Also, I was a bit confused as to when in the process to actually roll on this table.

The occupation table might be better with some choice involved. WFRP 1e has similar tables but you get to pick which one to roll on depending upon what kind of character you want to make and what your stats are. Maybe there should be a separate table for each stat so that way your high Int pc could roll up an occupation where that big brain would have been of some use.

Alignment. It might be better to wait until first level to pick an alignment. That way the pc's personality could be determined in play and it would be one less thing to worry about in character creation.

Herding dog - game needs stats for this guy. He's probably the toughest one in the party.

The game should probably include some random name tables. I need help making up names for the mass of 0 lvl pc's in a party.

No, the augur should just have two names: Hawkeye and bat-sighted. Because you are -1 to hit with a ranged weapon because of the "bad" sign you were born under.

Yeah, I thought about changing it to "four-eyes".

If they get to 1st Level, then I'll think about naming mine !

My wife and I rolled 6 between us, just noted the stat modifiers to save time, other stats average.

Hers:
Ditch Digger: STR -1, AGL -2, LCK +1 (Corruption rolls), HP 2, Shovel, 1lb Fine Dirt, Thieves Tools, 39cp
Farmer#1: AGL +1, INT -1, (LCK: Melee Damage), HP 2, Pitchfork, Hen, Candle, 43cp
Weaver: AGL +1, PER -1, LCK +1 (Saving Throws), HP 1, Dagger, Fine Suit of Clothes, Grappling Hook, 50cp

Mine:
Farmer#2: STR +1, STA +1, PER -1, LCK -1 (Spell damage), HP 4, Pitchfork, Cow, Holy Water, 37cp
Gambler: AGL -1, STA -1, INT +2 (LCK: Spell Checks), HP 1, Club, Dice, Empty Chest, 32cp
Elven Artisan: STA +1, PER +1, INT +1 (LCK: Find/Disarm Traps), HP 3, Staff, 1lb Clay, 10' Chain, 37cp

man, who brings a cow on an adventure?

A guy who wants to bag a minotaur ? or wants portable partial cover. Actually I've named the cow, she's called 'supper'

Please note page 14, last paragraph, starting with the "need not be determined randomly" section.

Not a bad idea although I am trying to limit "choice" early in the game. This might just be me personally but I really like the idea that people can roll up characters in literally 5 minutes. Then you get to know the character as you adventure with him. The more choices are involved up front, the longer things take and the more a player tends to "always run the thief."



Hmm, not a bad idea. I've definitely seen the 0-level guys evolve over time. Maybe everybody starts out neutral then you "declare" at level 1...



Often the critters do outperform their masters. I always give them d4 hit points, attack at +0 for d4 damage.



The final manuscript has an appendix with 400 random names...roll d4 and d%...I've got about 350 written so far and am still writing in new ones as they occur to me.

Stabb the Highly-Likely to Die
STR 14 AGI 14 STA 13 PER 12 INT 10 LCK 12
hp 2, AC 11, Unholy House (Corruption Rolls)
empty flask, pitchfork, a hen, and 25 cp
Farmer

Felix the Doorfully Perceptive
STR 7 AGI 7 STA 13 PER 8 INT 10 LCK 16
hp 3, AC 9, Four Leaf Clover (Secret Doors)
a days rations, pitchfork, a sheep, and 41 cp
Farmer

Aelwyn the Strong of Arm but Tired of Body
STR 14 AGI 10 STA 9 INT 14 LCK 8
hp 3, AC 10, Sickened by a Spider (Save v. Poison)
longsword, hide armor, a set of strange tools that someone said belonged to a thief, and 38 cp
Mercenary

From Free RPG Day:
Shane halfling vagrant AC.12 HP.2
S.4(-2) Club Begging Bowl
A.16(+2) grappling hook
S.10
P.11
I.9
L.10(fox cunning)

Sage Herbalist AC.11 HP.5
S.7 -1 Club Herbs
A.13 +1 Lantern
S.13 +1
P.5 -2
I.8 -1
L.13 +1(pack hunter)

Thor Dwarven Herder AC.9 HP.1
S.14 +1 Staff Sow Flint & Steel
A.7 -1
S.6 -1
P.14 +1
I.13 +1
L.8 -1 (raging storm)

Clay Herder AC.10 HP.4
S.15 +1 Staff Dog Iron Spikes
A.12
S.11
P.11
I.10
L.13 +1 (Born under loom)
Clay was the biggest surprise. I didn't make a single bad roll creating him but I ended up roll playing Shane the most.

You could always say something like "After having rolled random abilities, roll 1d10 on the table that refers to your highest ability. In case of two highest scores, roll to determine randomly which table to use". Tables like these:

HIGHEST STRENGTH
1- soldier
2- woodcutter
3- dwarven miner
4- Slave
5- ... etc

HIGHEST AGILITY
1 - Hunter
2 - Trapper
3 - Elven Forester
4 - Cutpurse
5 - ... etc

HIGHEST STAMINA
1- Farmer
2- Dwarven Blacksmith
3- Grave Digger
4- Halfling Vagrant
5- ... etc

It's still 100% random and doesn't involve any more rolls than before; it avoids strange Gong Farmers with 18 INT and/or 16 PER, or weird Hunters with 5 AGI... or Elven Sages with 3 INT

+d6. one chart good. six charts better.

I am getting behind this as well.

I don't know why, it's not that it's so important to me... but tonight i dreamt this ended up in the rules!

It's not "important" but more logical (the six tables vs. one table) than having a Dwarven Blacksmith with a 3 Strength and 17 Intelligence. How does he lift his hammer? (Or a Healer with a 5 Personality.) There are gamers who will have difficulty swallowing those inconsistencies.

As encouraged by Joseph, I will run the rules as written several times initially (assuming I can get a gaming group together)....but it seems likely I'll adopt the 'six tables concept' swiftly into my game once house ruling feels appropriate.

If he had a higher strength score, he would be making a living as a blacksmith instead of gallivanting about the countryside risking death and dismemberment.

There are always people who seem to have chosen the wrong profession for their personal skill sets (like the doctor with no bedside manner or William Hung).

In real life I know a guy who works as a Carpenter who can't read a tape for $%$%. He hates to hammer for long periods of time and sucks at judging if something is level.

He can however play the guitar and piano like a God.


I guess it isn't just in games that people do not always play to there strengths.

Thanks for both your anecdotes--I've actually never met anyone quite like either person you guys describe, but I can see your point(s)!

I work with the guy every day so........is a ready source of fun let me tell you. Nice guy but geez,how hard is it to read a tape?

Now that I think of it, I knew a guy back when I was doing non-warranty Tier 2 phone tech support for a company that rhymes with Crap-ateway. He was another phone tech (and I use the term lightly). Not only was he terrible with customers (no patience, no troubleshooting skills, very little idea of how a computer worked, software or hardware)...I'm almost 100% positive that he didn't own a computer.

I don't know what in life he was good at doing (aside from being on welfare while being employed at Crap-ateway) but it sure wasn't tech support.



So, yeah, I'll remember him when I generate 0-levels with odd stats.

You could sell her for some magic beans.