Height & Weight

Part of the character’s creation requires a determination of how tall the character stands and the character’s weight. This describes the distance between the ball of the foot to the top of the head, when the character is standing erect.

Weight describes the character's mass in imperial pound units. Metric is not used because it's a late 18th-century creation ... and therefore anachronistic to the context of a Medieval or Renaissance fantasy realm. Yes, other anachronistic things are embraced by the Generator, but it's believed that understanding the unpleasantnesxs of using imperial units can act to help player's understand the mindset of people in the game setting. Imagine what it must have been like for people long ago, who had no choice in how to measure things.

Height is measured in feet and inches. This describes the distance between the ball of the foot to the top of the character's head, when the individual is standing erect. This is a factor in the character's reach, as well as the character's ability to employ certain weapons. The practical length of a pike, for instance, is three times the character's height. A pole-arm, spear or javelin can be up to 1½ times a person's height. Most other weapons cannot be longer than a character is tall.

The tables shown provide heights and weights for both males and females of the seven races available to player characters. The bell curve of rolled 4d6 ensures that most heights and weights fall into a common range. The character generator rolls these results automatically, but the tables are still available of quick use or for non-player characters.

Height Determination Table

roll 4d6	Dwarf		Elf		Gnome		Half-elf		Halfling		Half-orc		Human
	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.
4	3 ft. 3 in.	3 ft. 5 in.	3 ft. 10 in.	4 ft. 3 in.	2 ft. 9 in.	3 ft.	4 ft. 5 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	2 ft. 4 in.	2 ft. 7 in.	4 ft. 5 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	5 ft.
5	3 ft. 4 in.	3 ft. 6 in.	3 ft. 11 in.	4 ft. 4 in.	2 ft. 10 in.	3 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 6 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	2 ft. 5 in.	2 ft. 7 in.	4 ft. 6 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 1 in.
6	3 ft. 5 in.	3 ft. 7 in.	4 ft.	4 ft. 5 in.	2 ft. 11 in.	3 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 6 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	2 ft. 5 in.	2 ft. 8 in.	4 ft. 7 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 2 in.
7	3 ft. 5 in.	3 ft. 7 in.	4 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 11 in.	3 ft. 2 in.	4 ft. 7 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	2 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 8 in.	4 ft. 8 in.	5 ft.	4 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 3 in.
8	3 ft. 6 in.	3 ft. 8 in.	4 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 7 in.	3 ft.	3 ft. 2 in.	4 ft. 8 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	2 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 9 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	5 ft.	5 ft. 4 in.
9	3 ft. 7 in.	3 ft. 9 in.	4 ft. 2 in.	4 ft. 8 in.	3 ft.	3 ft. 3 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	5 ft.	2 ft. 7 in.	2 ft. 9 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 5 in.
10	3 ft. 7 in.	3 ft. 9 in.	4 ft. 3 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	3 ft. 1 in.	3 ft. 4 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	2 ft. 7 in.	2 ft. 10 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	5 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 6 in.
11	3 ft. 8 in.	3 ft. 10 in.	4 ft. 4 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	3 ft. 1 in.	3 ft. 4 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 2 in.	2 ft. 8 in.	2 ft. 10 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	5 ft. 7 in.
12	3 ft. 9 in.	3 ft. 11 in.	4 ft. 4 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	3 ft. 2 in.	3 ft. 5 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	2 ft. 8 in.	2 ft. 11 in.	5 ft.	5 ft. 5 in.	5 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 8 in.
13	3 ft. 9 in.	3 ft. 11 in.	4 ft. 5 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	3 ft. 2 in.	3 ft. 5 in.	5 ft.	5 ft. 4 in.	2 ft. 9 in.	2 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 7 in.	5 ft. 5 in.	5 ft. 9 in.
14	3 ft. 10 in.	4 ft.	4 ft. 6 in.	5 ft.	3 ft. 3 in.	3 ft. 6 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 5 in.	2 ft. 9 in.	3 ft.	5 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 8 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	5 ft. 10 in.
15	3 ft. 11 in.	4 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 7 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	3 ft. 4 in.	3 ft. 7 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 9 in.	3 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	5 ft. 9 in.	5 ft. 7 in.	5 ft. 11 in.
16	3 ft. 11 in.	4 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 8 in.	5 ft. 2 in.	3 ft. 4 in.	3 ft. 7 in.	5 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 10 in.	3 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 8 in.	6 ft.
17	4 ft.	4 ft. 2 in.	4 ft. 8 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	3 ft. 5 in.	3 ft. 8 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	5 ft. 7 in.	2 ft. 10 in.	3 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 5 in.	5 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 9 in.	6 ft. 1 in.
18	4 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 3 in.	4 ft. 9 in.	5 ft. 3 in.	3 ft. 5 in.	3 ft. 8 in.	5 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 8 in.	2 ft. 11 in.	3 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	6 ft.	5 ft. 10 in.	6 ft. 2 in.
19	4 ft. 1 in.	4 ft. 3 in.	4 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 4 in.	3 ft. 6 in.	3 ft. 9 in.	5 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 9 in.	2 ft. 11 in.	3 ft. 3 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	6 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 11 in.	6 ft. 3 in.
20	4 ft. 2 in.	4 ft. 4 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 5 in.	3 ft. 6 in.	3 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 5 in.	5 ft. 10 in.	3 ft.	3 ft. 3 in.	5 ft. 7 in.	6 ft. 2 in.	6 ft.	6 ft. 4 in.
21	4 ft. 3 in.	4 ft. 5 in.	4 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	3 ft. 7 in.	3 ft. 10 in.	5 ft. 6 in.	5 ft. 11 in.	3 ft.	3 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 8 in.	6 ft. 3 in.	6 ft. 1 in.	6 ft. 5 in.
22	4 ft. 3 in.	4 ft. 5 in.	5 ft.	5 ft. 7 in.	3 ft. 7 in.	3 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 7 in.	6 ft.	3 ft. 1 in.	3 ft. 4 in.	5 ft. 9 in.	6 ft. 4 in.	6 ft. 2 in.	6 ft. 6 in.
23	4 ft. 4 in.	4 ft. 6 in.	5 ft. 1 in.	5 ft. 8 in.	3 ft. 8 in.	3 ft. 11 in.	5 ft. 8 in.	6 ft.	3 ft. 1 in.	3 ft. 5 in.	5 ft. 10 in.	6 ft. 5 in.	6 ft. 2 in.	6 ft. 7 in.
24	4 ft. 5 in.	4 ft. 7 in.	5 ft. 2 in.	5 ft. 9 in.	3 ft. 9 in.	4 ft.	5 ft. 9 in.	6 ft. 1 in.	3 ft. 2 in.	3 ft. 6 in.	5 ft. 11 in.	6 ft. 6 in.	6 ft. 3 in.	6 ft. 8 in.

Weight Determination Table

roll 4d6	Dwarf		Elf		Gnome		Half-elf		Halfling		Half-orc		Human
	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.	f.	m.
4	99	124	66	83	62	66	83	107	41	50	107	124	116	144
5	102	127	68	85	64	68	85	110	42	51	111	128	118	148
6	105	131	70	87	65	70	87	113	44	52	114	133	122	153
7	107	134	72	90	67	72	90	116	45	54	118	137	125	157
8	110	138	74	92	69	74	92	120	46	55	123	142	129	161
9	113	142	75	94	71	75	94	123	47	57	127	147	132	165
10	116	145	77	97	73	77	97	126	48	58	131	153	136	169
11	119	149	79	99	74	79	99	129	50	60	135	158	139	174
12	122	153	81	102	76	81	102	132	51	61	139	163	143	178
13	125	157	84	104	78	84	104	136	52	63	144	168	146	183
14	128	160	86	107	80	86	107	139	53	64	148	172	150	187
15	133	166	89	111	83	89	111	144	55	66	154	179	155	194
16	137	172	92	114	86	92	114	149	57	69	160	186	160	200
17	142	177	95	118	89	95	118	154	59	71	166	166	166	207
18	147	183	98	122	92	98	122	159	61	73	172	199	171	214
19	151	189	101	126	95	101	126	164	63	76	178	206	177	221
20	156	195	104	130	98	104	130	169	65	78	184	214	182	228
21	161	201	107	134	101	107	134	174	67	80	190	221	188	235
22	166	207	111	138	104	111	138	180	69	83	197	228	194	242
23	171	214	114	142	107	114	142	185	71	85	203	236	199	249
24	176	220	117	147	110	117	147	191	73	88	210	243	205	257

The heights and weights obtained from these tables are subject to alteration by other rolls produced elsewhere in the Generator. Thus, the above should be viewed as base numbers only. Weight has a higher likelihood of being altered than does height, due to addiction, gluttony, the qualities of being robust ... or if the character has wasted away due to a hard life. Otherwise, if not altered, the numbers describe the character in the peak of condition.

During play, participants tend to skip over height and weight in their imaginations. While understandable, as getting past our self-perception and those of the other players can be a stretch, the DM should counsel the players towards truly embracing the character's real semblance. Artworks can help, if any player has that talent, as can repeating the character's gender and size as often as possible, until it's clear everyone around the table – including the DM – has a firm image of how the party looks to others.

See also,
Character Creation
Player Characters