Character Background Generator

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

Next is the calculation of age according to class and race.