Difference between revisions of "Character Background Generator"

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== Physical Appearance ==
 
== Physical Appearance ==
 
Though the player may wish otherwise, the character is not permitted to decide the colour of their skin, hair, eyes, or even the vitality of these things.  Because a strong sentiment for individuality is preferable, the tables for skin-tone, hair and eye colour are extensive.  I've adopted a premise that [[Demi-human|demi-human]] races possess a greater homogeneity that human races — if only because we possess much more knowledge of individual humans living in different parts of the world than we have for dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings or half-orcs.
 
Though the player may wish otherwise, the character is not permitted to decide the colour of their skin, hair, eyes, or even the vitality of these things.  Because a strong sentiment for individuality is preferable, the tables for skin-tone, hair and eye colour are extensive.  I've adopted a premise that [[Demi-human|demi-human]] races possess a greater homogeneity that human races — if only because we possess much more knowledge of individual humans living in different parts of the world than we have for dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings or half-orcs.
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 +
==== Skin Tone ====
 +
[[File:Character Skin Tone.png|right|630px|thumb]]
 +
Skin tone for humans is based upon the visual chart shown.  Skin tone for demi-humans must be left to the imagination, though some tones match human colours.  Skin tone variation may be minimal for some races or peoples or it may be extensive.  The tables shown in this section presuppose an equal chance of skin tone selection; if there are six possible skin tones, than a simple d6 is rolled to see which it is.
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 15px; text-align: center; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
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|-
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! rowspan="2"|Roll !! colspan="6"|Skin Tones of Demi Human Races
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|-
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! Dwarf !! Elf !! Gnome !! Half-elf !! Halfling !! Half-orc
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|-
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| 1 || bronze || ivory || bronze || alabaster || bronze || bronze
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|-
 +
| 2 || olive || nordic || olive || cream || honey || dark honey
 +
|-
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| 3 || sepia || – || tan || soft beige || – || greenish walnut
 +
|}

Revision as of 03:38, 23 April 2022

Character-background.jpg

The character background generator is a series of random rolls designed to outline a new player character's basic characteristics and idiosyncracies resulting from cultural heritage, race, age, ability stats and chance events happening during the individual in the time prior to joining the game. The generator concentrates on social relationships and skills that originate with the game world and do not, therefore, come within the player's sphere of control. For example, the player isn't given the choice of deciding whether or not his or her parents are alive, whom he was raised by, what generational skills he or she was taught, into what social class the character was born, what others who have known the character for years think, how much money he or she has with which to start the game and so on.

It's standard in many games to allow the player to invent an entirely fictional "background" that serves their personal needs; this system sets out, instead, to create a completely RANDOM background, over which neither the character nor the DM has control. Players may, after the fact, choose to lie about their background; they may make up a background that suits them; but they cannot change the actual fact of what their background was, a fact that's known to the other players and the DM as a matter of game play.

The generator includes a considerable number of both elaborate and simple tables that strives to offer so many possibilities that the generation of two identical characters would be next to impossible. Normally, these tables are incorporated into an excel file for random generation, but for the wiki I have chosen to include all results as a series of open tables for readers to examine.

Physical Characteristics

Height & Weight

Initially, the character's physical creation requires the character's height and weight. For this, height is measured in feet and inches, while weight is measured in lbs. These represent the character in the peak of condition, unless indicated otherwise elsewhere in the generator. Base height depends upon the character's race and birth sex. Base weight depends on the character's race and birth sex, and also upon results indicating gluttony, agility and lack of balance.

Height Rolls

roll
4d6
FEMALE HEIGHT MALE HEIGHT
dwarf elf gnome half-elf halfling half-orc human dwarf elf gnome half-elf halfling half-orc human
4 3 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 10 in. 2 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 5 in. 2 ft. 4 in. 4 ft. 5 in. 4 ft. 9 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 4 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 4 ft. 9 in. 2 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 9 in. 5 ft.
5 3 ft. 4 in. 3 ft. 11 in. 2 ft. 10 in. 4 ft. 6 in. 2 ft. 5 in. 4 ft. 6 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 6 in. 4 ft. 4 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 2 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 1 in.
6 3 ft. 5 in. 4 ft. 2 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 7 in. 2 ft. 5 in. 4 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 5 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 2 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 2 in.
7 3 ft. 5 in. 4 ft. 1 in. 2 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 8 in. 2 ft. 6 in. 4 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 3 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 6 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 2 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 5 ft. 3 in.
8 3 ft. 6 in. 4 ft. 1 in. 3 ft. 4 ft. 9 in. 2 ft. 6 in. 4 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 3 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 7 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 2 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 5 ft. 4 in.
9 3 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 2 in. 3 ft. 4 ft. 10 in. 2 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 3 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 8 in. 3 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 2 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 5 in.
10 3 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 2 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 3 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 9 in. 3 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 2 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 6 in.
11 3 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 4 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 2 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 10 in. 4 ft. 9 in. 3 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 2 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 7 in.
12 3 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 4 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 2 ft. 8 in. 5 ft. 5 ft. 4 in. 3 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 4 in. 2 ft. 11 in. 5 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 8 in.
13 3 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 5 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 2 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 5 in. 3 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 5 in. 2 ft. 11 in. 5 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 9 in.
14 3 ft. 10 in. 4 ft. 6 in. 3 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 2 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 4 ft. 5 ft. 3 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 3 ft. 5 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 10 in.
15 3 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 7 in. 3 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 2 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 7 in. 4 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 3 ft. 7 in. 5 ft. 7 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 7 in. 5 ft. 11 in.
16 3 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 8 in. 3 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 4 in. 2 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 8 in. 4 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 3 ft. 7 in. 5 ft. 8 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 8 in. 6 ft.
17 4 ft. 4 ft. 8 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 5 in. 2 ft. 10 in. 5 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 8 in. 5 ft. 9 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 9 in. 6 ft. 1 in.
18 4 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 9 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 2 ft. 11 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 10 in. 4 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 8 in. 5 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 10 in. 6 ft. 2 in.
19 4 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 2 ft. 11 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 11 in. 4 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 4 in. 3 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 11 in. 3 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 11 in. 6 ft. 3 in.
20 4 ft. 2 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 3 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 7 in. 3 ft. 5 ft. 7 in. 6 ft. 4 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 5 in. 3 ft. 10 in. 6 ft. 3 ft. 3 in. 6 ft. 6 ft. 4 in.
21 4 ft. 3 in. 4 ft. 11 in. 3 ft. 7 in. 5 ft. 8 in. 3 ft. 5 ft. 8 in. 6 ft. 1 in. 4 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 3 ft. 10 in. 6 ft. 1 in. 3 ft. 4 in. 6 ft. 1 in. 6 ft. 5 in.
22 4 ft. 3 in. 5 ft. 3 ft. 7 in. 5 ft. 9 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 9 in. 6 ft. 2 in. 4 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 7 in. 3 ft. 11 in. 6 ft. 2 in. 3 ft. 4 in. 6 ft. 2 in. 6 ft. 6 in.
23 4 ft. 4 in. 5 ft. 1 in. 3 ft. 8 in. 5 ft. 10 in. 3 ft. 1 in. 5 ft. 10 in. 6 ft. 2 in. 4 ft. 6 in. 5 ft. 8 in. 3 ft. 11 in. 6 ft. 2 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 6 ft. 3 in. 6 ft. 7 in.
24 4 ft. 5 in. 5 ft. 2 in. 3 ft. 9 in. 5 ft. 11 in. 3 ft. 2 in. 5 ft. 11 in. 6 ft. 3 in. 4 ft. 7 in. 5 ft. 9 in. 4 ft. 6 ft. 3 in. 3 ft. 5 in. 6 ft. 3 in. 6 ft. 8 in.

































Weight Rolls

roll
4d6
FEMALE WEIGHT MALE WEIGHT
dwarf elf gnome half-elf halfling half-orc human dwarf elf gnome half-elf halfling half-orc human
4 99 66 62 83 41 107 116 124 83 66 107 50 124 144
5 102 68 64 85 42 110 119 127 85 68 110 51 127 148
6 105 70 65 87 44 113 122 131 87 70 113 52 131 153
7 107 72 67 90 45 116 125 134 90 72 116 54 134 157
8 110 74 69 92 46 120 129 138 92 74 120 55 138 161
9 113 75 71 94 47 123 132 142 94 75 123 57 142 165
10 116 77 73 97 48 126 136 145 97 77 126 58 145 169
11 119 79 74 99 50 129 139 149 99 79 129 60 149 174
12 122 81 76 102 51 132 143 153 102 81 132 61 153 178
13 125 84 78 104 52 136 146 157 104 84 136 63 157 183
14 128 86 80 107 53 139 150 160 107 86 139 64 160 187
15 133 89 83 111 55 144 155 166 111 89 144 66 166 194
16 137 92 86 114 57 149 160 172 114 92 149 69 172 200
17 142 95 89 118 59 154 166 177 118 95 154 71 177 207
18 147 98 92 122 61 159 171 183 122 98 159 73 183 214
19 151 101 95 126 63 164 177 189 126 101 164 76 189 221
20 156 104 98 130 65 169 182 195 130 104 169 78 195 228
21 161 107 101 134 67 174 188 201 134 107 174 80 201 235
22 166 111 104 138 69 180 194 207 138 111 180 83 207 242
23 171 114 107 142 71 185 199 214 142 114 185 85 214 249
24 176 117 110 147 73 191 205 220 147 117 191 88 220 257

































Age

Class Dwarf Elf Gnome Half-elf Halfling Half-orc Human
Starting Age for Character Classes by Race
Assassin 27+1d4 14+2d4 20+1d4 16+2d4 na 37+1d6 20+1d4
Bard na na na 33+1d4 na na 25+1d4
Cleric 57+2d4 38+1d8 48+1d10 28+1d6 na 30+1d6 20+1d4
Druid na na na 30+1d6 36+1d8 na 22+1d4
Fighter 16+1d4 15+1d4 15+1d4 18+1d4 17+1d4 25+1d6 14+1d4
Illusionist na na 21+2d6 na na na 29+2d8
Mage na 22+2d4 na 23+2d6 na na 24+2d8
Monk na na na na na na 23+1d4
Paladin na na na na na na 19+1d4
Ranger na 18+1d4 na 21+1d4 na na 17+1d4
Thief 25+1d4 12+2d4 18+1d4 14+2d4 29+1d6 35+1d6 18+1d4

Next comes the calculation of age according to class and race. My game doesn't recognize the extended lifespans given to non-human characters in AD&D, so my character races are adjusted to fit the traditional human lifespan. This translates to some characters being unusually old (dwarf and gnome clerics) or atypically young (elven assassins and thieves). My feeling is the disparity reflects some races resistance against training individuals until they've reached a certain age — or that youth indicates how much faster some races master a character class compared to others.

Multi-classed characters begin with the highest base number of all classes possessed; the total modifiers for all classes is added. For example, a half-elven fighter/mage would have a base age of "23," adding "2d6 + 1d4" to that base. This makes the multi-classed half-elven's age an average of 32-33.

Further Details

The character's age as determined at this point describes the time needed to complete his or her training; however, there are other things that can happen to the character that arise from other tables in the generator. For example, the character might have spent time in jail, or might have lost time due to a family tragedy or due to laziness. So this is only tentatively the character's final age.

Counting backwards, we determine the character's year of birth. If the year is 1650 and the character is 32 years old, then he or she was born in 1618. We determine the exact date of the year by rolling randomly against every day of the calendar, taking note whether the birth year was a leap year.

Physical Appearance

Though the player may wish otherwise, the character is not permitted to decide the colour of their skin, hair, eyes, or even the vitality of these things. Because a strong sentiment for individuality is preferable, the tables for skin-tone, hair and eye colour are extensive. I've adopted a premise that demi-human races possess a greater homogeneity that human races — if only because we possess much more knowledge of individual humans living in different parts of the world than we have for dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings or half-orcs.

Skin Tone

Character Skin Tone.png

Skin tone for humans is based upon the visual chart shown. Skin tone for demi-humans must be left to the imagination, though some tones match human colours. Skin tone variation may be minimal for some races or peoples or it may be extensive. The tables shown in this section presuppose an equal chance of skin tone selection; if there are six possible skin tones, than a simple d6 is rolled to see which it is.

Roll Skin Tones of Demi Human Races
Dwarf Elf Gnome Half-elf Halfling Half-orc
1 bronze ivory bronze alabaster bronze bronze
2 olive nordic olive cream honey dark honey
3 sepia tan soft beige greenish walnut