Difference between revisions of "Character Background Generator"

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[[File:Character-background.jpg|thumb|440px|]]
 
[[File:Character-background.jpg|thumb|440px|]]
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The character background generator is a series of random rolls which are compared against the character's six [[Ability Stats|ability stats]]. The higher these stats, the less chance of getting a negative effect (though one is always possible), and the lower the stats, the higher chance of getting a positive effect.
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The '''character background generator''' is a series of random rolls designed to outline a new [[Player Characters|player character's]] basic characteristics and idiosyncracies resulting from cultural heritage, race, [[Aging|age]], [[Ability Stats|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.
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__TOC__
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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.
  
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The purpose is to augment the character's basic nature by creating both a series of unaccounted abilities and deficiencies to create a less common final result. The premise is that, prior to the character actually entering the campaign, there have been years spent on things which may or may not have been wise or preferable to the player's well-being. Overcoming one's "childhood" is part of the process of being an adult.
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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.
  
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The generator also determines things such as [[Height & Weight|height & weight]], [[Aging|character age]], starting wealth, physical description and [[Family Relations|family relations]]. As well, secondary skills are based upon the profession of one’s father or mother, since it is presume the child learned something of the profession before entering training for their character class.
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= Physical Characteristics =
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== Height & Weight ==
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Initially, the character's physical creation requires the character's [[Height & Weight|height and weight]].  For this, height is [[Measurements|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|gluttony]], agility and [[Lack of Balance|lack of balance]].
  
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The generator is a complex excel file full of calculations which the character's base stats are fed into in order to calculate out a result. There are too many rolls involved to do this calculation with dice, whereas the rolls can be worked out quickly in little time and the result can be a single graphic image for the character's convenience.
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[[File:Height-weight-01.jpg|thumb|left|280px|]]
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px; background-color:#add8e6;"
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Results from the generator describe the player character’s life up to the point where they begin playing. Except for physical limitations, and a history that has built up between the character and other people during the character’s past life, the player is not required in any way to continue any past conduct the character had prior to the game’s play. It is presumed that whatever the character did, or said, or whatever the character was like, that character has now made a decision to act differently, as if turning over a new life, deciding at last to act responsibly, casting aside their morality and acting as a villain, etcetera, as the player wishes.
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! '''roll 4d6''' !! colspan="7"|'''FEMALE HEIGHT''' !! colspan="7"|'''MALE HEIGHT'''
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That said, the generator does produce issues that will hold over into the game. A female character may begin the game pregnant a certain number of months, or a male may have fathered an as yet unborn child. The townspeople, or family, may heartily dislike the character. The character may be wanted, particularly likely if the character starts with a very low [[Wisdom (ability stat)|wisdom]]. However, the DM’s policy is that the character be given a fair chance to simply get out of the area, and avoid the area, in order to enjoy a clean slate on their future activities.
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! dwarf !! elf !! gnome !! half-elf !! halfling !! half-orc !! human !! dwarf !! elf !! gnome !! half-elf !! halfling !! half-orc !! human
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The generator developed in 2012 can be found [https://drive.google.com/open?id=14AXlGxLVG-U9fDnOqtWt8jZ9_1iS_bI0 on my google drive].
 
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See [[Player Characters]]
 
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[[Category: Review & Rewrite]]
 

Revision as of 00:36, 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-weight-01.jpg
roll 4d6 FEMALE HEIGHT MALE HEIGHT
dwarf elf gnome half-elf halfling half-orc human dwarf elf gnome half-elf halfling half-orc human
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