On some kind of freak whim, I picked up the first "Dragon Age" RPG book, based on the Dragon Age: Origins video game. It's got its good and bad points, but I haven't tested it or anything. Supposedly it's made for an entry-level, "old-school" sort of game. Either way, I thought I'd roll up a guy. (And you do "roll" him up. Lots of random bits.) Here goes.
Step 1: Concept
Um... "Gregor Pictooth the Rogue" (because I've done enough "Capernuses" for a while.)
Step 2: Determine Abilities
3D6, check against a chart (to get a value from -2 to 4), apply in order, then optionally swap two.
Communication (
4): 0 (Modified in Step 2 from "-1")
Constitution (
5): -1
Cunning (
13): 1 (Swapped with Dexterity)
Dexterity (
11): 2 (Swapped with Cunning)
Magic (
11): 1
Perception (
9): 1
Strength (
6): 0
Willpower (
11): 1
Yeah, I kind of rolled crappy.
Step 3: Choose Background
Background gives an idea of your life before becoming an adventurer. Race plays a big part, but it's not everything. There are mages, illegal mages, dwarves, elves, city elves, barbarians, freemen, etc.
Gregor is totally a Fereldan Freeman. Not nobility and not a serf and not an elf or a dwarf and not a magic user. So I roll 2d6 twice on a chart to see what that gives me.
Benefit 1 (
2): +1 Communication
Benefit 2 (
5): Communication (Animal Handling) (This is basically the skill "Handle Animal".)
While he appears to only get one "skill", this is actually called a "focus", which suggests that he is "skilled" in anything his Stats can do, but he only gets a +2 where he is "focused" (ie, Animal Handling)
Step 4: Choose Class
"Rogue", of course.
Starting Health is 25 + Constitution (-1) + 1d6 =
26
Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, Light Blades, Staves
Level 1 Powers:
Backstab: +2 to hit and +1d6 damage if you can sneak up on an opponent (Stealth vs. Seeing).
Rogue's Armor: Ignore penalties from Leather Armor.
Starting Talents: I get to choose Novice level "Contacts", "Scouting" or "Theivery". I was going to take "Theivery", but it requires Dexterity 3+. "Contacts" takes Communication 1+. "Scouting" requires the Dexterity (Stealth) focus. So I'm hosed and get nothing. I checked. The designers confirm that this is how it works. Lame.
Step 5: Pick Equipment
Starting Kit:
A Backpack
Traveler’s Garb
A Waterskin
Light Leather Armor (AR: 3, Penalty: 0)
Dagger (DMG: 1d6+1, Min Str: -)
Crossbow (Dmg: 1d6+2, Range: 30/60, Reload: Major Action)
A Quiver with 20 Bolts
60 silver pieces (-9 = 51 sp)
Purchased Stuff:
Second Dagger (9 sp) (Dmg: 1d6+1, Min Str: -)
Step 6: Calculate Defense and Speed
Defense: 10 + Dexterity + Shield = 12
Speed (Human): 10 + Dexterity + Armor Penalty = 12
Step 7: Pick a Name
"Gregor" (Duh.) Although if I were to pick an "Avvarian" name, I'd go with "Garnait".
Step 8: Choose Goals and Character Ties
Let's see. How about, "Steal that new gold icon in the local Chantry" for a short term goal and "Take over the local thieves' guild" as a long term goal. There aren't any other characters to have ties to, but I can imagine them being gambling buddies, or sharing a common enemy, or maybe somebody owing somebody for a saved life. That sort of thing.
So, that's kind of fun and pretty easy. The rules in the first set cover levels 1-5. Again, it has that "old-school" boxes and booklets feel.
One thing that sounds neat (in theory) is that in combat, if you roll doubles on any of the three dice, you get from 1-6 "stunt points" to use to push, trip, disarm, "mighty blow" or whatever. So that pretty neat as well.
"If you fudge dice rolls, your system is failing you!" -Sons of Kryos
"I genuinely think that some people measure their free will by reading how unhappy their GM is." - TonyLB