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.
Contents
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
The image shown was found years ago on a cosmetic website for the purpose of explaining which foundation was best to wear with which colours. I don't know the source any more, but there are many similar images that can be found for this purpose, such as this one.
For some, skin tone is a touchy subject. It's fair to say that most would rather let the players choose their skin tone rather than assign it randomly. However, in keeping with the argument that the colour of one's skin is NOT something we get to choose about our coming into being, I don't believe it's appropriate for characters to have this as an option.
Moreover, I believe that by embracing every kind of skin tone in our characters is mature and appropriate. I would immediately boot any player who raised a conflict about their elf's colouring, or that their fighter or thief happened to originate in North Africa or the Middle East, and therefore had a sienna or sepia skin tone. My game world respects and appreciates persons of all races — though some villains in the game world do not — and as a DM I don't carry on vendettas against persons of any background or appearance.
It could be argued that my choices for non-human races deserve evaluation — but it should be understood that the choice, or belief in the "right" possibilities, is a personal matter. Any DM could easily adjust the table to their liking. A player might suggest my adding a choice prior to their generating a character. But there cannot be a definite right or wrong list with regards to a fictional ideal: not even one that is strictly respectful towards Tolkein's work. I don't run a version of Middle Earth. I run my own world, with its own rules, substantively influenced by details I can find in the real world.
Tables
I have many tables for the distribution of skin tone — one for each demi-human race and one for different ethnic parts of the world. The number of options means to reflect the stability of the culture and the variability of tribal movements dating back tens of thousands of years.
| 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 |
Demi-humans. Elves in my game world live in the north, so most half-elves to as well, though there is more mixing of races with human stock. Dwarves, gnomes and halflings dwell in mid-to-high temperate climates; some dwarves and gnomes spend most of their lives underground; halflings do not. Half-orcs come from the Asian steppelands. My world's history explains that all these races originated in ways very different from humans.
"Dark honey" and "greenish walnut" are not shown on the foundation chart, and reflect my conception for what colours a half-orc would possess, coming as they do from a humanoid race not of the earth and related to ogres and haruchai.
