Random Humanoid Generator (Roll All Dice)

This Random Humanoid Generator is specifically designed for use with The Savage World of Flash Gordon for Savage Worlds, but may be used for any game system and indeed any similar setting. Use it to create the outline of a new species, refining the results and using them as inspiration. If the results don't mesh with your vision, ignore them and choose freely. It's always a good idea to have a surprise for players who think they are experts on the source material.

Random Humanoid Generator
(Roll All Dice)

Climate

Roll 1d4

1. Frozen
2. Temperate
3. Tropical
4. Desert

Disposition

Roll 1d6

1. Hostile
2. Distrustful
3. Aloof
4. Cautious
5. Curious
6. Friendly

Ruler

Roll 1d8

1. King
2. Queen
3. Prince
4. Princess
5. Council of Elders
6. Noble + Council
7. Theocrat
8. Leader

Biological Derivation

Roll 1d10

1. Amphibian
2. Arachnid
3. Avian
4. Human
5. Human
6. Insect
7. Mammalian
8. Mammalian
9. Piscine
10. Reptilian

Primary Resource

Roll 1d12

1. Cloth
2. Foodstuffs, Cultivated
3. Foodstuffs, Gathered
4. Foodstuffs, Hunted
5. Fuel
6. Gems
7. Luxury Goods
8. Manufacturing
9. Metals, Industrial
10. Metals, Precious
11. Spices
12. Timber

Combat Quirk
Members of this species...

Roll 1d20

1. Abide by a strict code of honor that enhances their skill at one weapon.
2. Are immune to a certain form of attack.
3. Are effective in a team, but hopeless without leadership.
4. Are formidable individually, but unable to coordinate in groups.
5. Are great rocketship gunners, but poor pilots.
6. Are great rocketship pilots, but poor gunners.
7. Are unnaturally quick.
8. Are unnaturally strong.
9. Eat those who fall in combat.
10. Must pray before combat.
11. Never kill opponents — only take prisoners.
12. Never take prisoners.
13. Possess an extra sense.
14. Prefer combat as entertainment.
15. Prefer duels.
16. Prefer ritual combat.
17. Ride exotic mounts.
18. Use a substance before battle that enhances their combat ability.
19. Use primitive weapons.
20. Use robots to do their fighting whenever possible.

[This article is cross-posted here in Savage Arts & Sciences.]

Calling It What It Is - It's Psychic

The Wild Talent Generator (q.v.) was so-named because I thought the term "Wild Talent" — borrowed from Timeship, the role-playing game by Herbie Brennan — was suitably generic for use in both science fiction and fantasy settings (unlike "psionics," which has a distinctly sci-fi origin). Alas, the term is now likelier to evoke images of superpowers thanks to games such as Godlike and, ahem, Wild Talents, so I decided to rename it for what it is, simply and practically: the Random Psychic Power Generator. Perhaps the new title will lead to more interest in it.

• Random Psychic Power Generator and Psychic Combat Simulator
  
• Random Psychic Power Generator Example
  
• Random Psychic Power Generator Example 2
  

Random Psychic Power Generator Example 2

Here is another example of the Random Psychic Power Generator in action. Once again, I rolled 3d6 in order and generated another lackluster character:

Strength: 6
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 12
Dexterity: 9
Constitution: 11
Charisma: 13

Unlike the first example, this character actually has an above average attribute (Charisma) and only one below average attribute (Strength). The highest class-related attribute is Wisdom, so I'll make her a cleric. Of Chaos. Meet Kyraptica, Priestess of Phlaagra.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 3; d6: 5; d8: 5; d10: 6; d12: 1; d20: 1.

The d4: Psychic Fuel

With a roll of 3, Kyraptica's Psychic Fuel is her Constitution, which is average. She is fortunate she does not have to draw upon her Strength to fuel her Power.

The d6: Psychic Focus

With a roll of 5, her Psychic Focus is Intelligence and Charisma. Her Intelligence is average, but her Charisma has a bonus of +1, which is added to her roll whenever she uses her Psychic Power.

The d8: Psychic Rejuvenation

With a roll of 5, Kyraptica restores her lost Constitution by merely clapping, for which she regains 1d4 points. She may do this once per day. (She can clap all day if she likes, but she will still only regain 1d4 points.)

The d10: Psychic Enhancer

With a roll of 6, her Psychic Enhancer is a gong. Kyraptica's cult makes use of the gong in ceremonies, so it's a multipurpose musical instrument. The reverberations caused by striking a gong intensify her concentration and give her a +1 bonus to Psychic Power rolls.

The d12: Psychic Failure Consequence

With a roll of 1, any failed Psychic Power roll results in psychic paralysis for 3d6 rounds, during which time she is effectively non-psychic. This may seem like a minor setback, but in the presence of another psychic it is tantamount to revealing that you are dangerous and then dropping your weapons, shield, and armor.

The d20: Psychic Power

With a roll of 17, Kyraptika's Psychic Power is Pyrokinesis, which suits her fiery temperament. This is the paranormal ability to produce and control fire with the mind. Control can be maintained as long as complete concentration is possible. Anything that interferes with concentration requires another Psychic Power roll to be made.

Summary

Kyraptica, Priestess of Phlaagra, has the gift of Pyrokinesis, which marks her as chosen by her deity to spread the message (and Chaos, which is pretty much the same thing). Her use of this gift drains her health, but she can revitalize herself by merely clapping her hands. Her control of the gift is guided by the strength of her personality and by the sounding of a sacred gong, which she carries with her. Should she stumble in the use of her Power, however, she loses that Power and all of its defenses until she can summon her resolve.

[Edit: I changed the term "Wild Talent" to "Psychic Power." 2015-05-13]

Random Psychic Power Generator Example

To demonstrate how the Random Psychic Power Generator may be used, I rolled up a character and applied the results. I rolled 3d6 in order, and the Fates were not kind:

Strength: 7
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 8
Dexterity: 12
Constitution: 9
Charisma: 8

This poor soul qualifies as a Hopeless Character with four below average attributes and two average attributes, but such is life. The highest attribute is Dexterity, so I'll make him a thief named Shufflo. It's really a nickname because he shuffles everywhere, except when he's on a job — then he is light on his feet. No one but a fellow member of his Thieves' Guild would ever suspect him of being a burglar.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 1; d6: 2; d8: 3 d10: 1; d12: 12; d20: 8.

The d4: Psychic Fuel

With a roll of 1, Shufflo's Psychic Fuel is his Strength. Each time he uses his Psychic Power, his Strength is reduced by 1 point (as if it wasn't low enough already).

The d6: Psychic Focus

With a roll of 2, his Psychic Focus is Wisdom. Unfortunately, he has little of that at hand, so his roll when using his Psychic Power will carry his Wisdom penalty of -1.

The d8: Psychic Rejuvenation

With a roll of 3, Shufflo is a bit luckier. The method by which his Psychic Fuel (Strength) is restored is simple immersion in water, which restores 1d4 points. This happens each time he immerses himself completely in water. To qualify for the rejuvenation of Strength points, he must be completely dry between immersions. He'd better not be a hydrophobe.

The d10: Psychic Enhancer

With a roll of 1, his Psychic Enhancer is crystal. Shufflo's grandmother once gave him a small crystal, telling him to rub it when he was worried about something, and it would put his mind at ease. Coincidentally, Shufflo's Psychic Power becomes easier to control when he is in the presence of crystalline structures, so every time he rubs that crystal as he uses his power, he gets a +1 to his Psychic Power roll, which negates his Wisdom penalty.

The d12: Psychic Failure Consequence

With a roll of 12, the consequences of failure to control his power result in physical injury. That's 1d6 hit points of damage each time he fails his Psychic Power roll. If he were wise (which, obviously, he isn't), he would wait to experiment with his power until he were more experienced or had an edge. Just what is that power anyway?

The d20: Psychic Power

With a roll of 8, his Psychic Power is Etherealness, the ability to become noncorporeal in the physical world, and even to travel to the Ethereal Plane of Existence. In this regard the Fates have been kind indeed, for here is a thief with the power to walk through solid walls. It may come with a risk, but here is a means for a burglar with no special talent to do the impossible.

Summary

Shufflo the Thief, a nondescript nobody who survives by stealing, has a secret talent, a Psychic Power, that enables him to walk through walls, perhaps even to pass into a higher plane of existence. He is a phantom, but his power weakens him, and he is not a strong man. Luckily, a simple plunge into ordinary water miraculously revitalizes him. He is not especially wise, but the crystal his grandmother gave him seems to help him control the power, so he is never without it. The power comes with a great risk, however, for should his control of it falter, his body may suffer grievous wounds.

[Edit: I changed the term "Wild Talent" to "Psychic Power." 2015-05-13]

Random Psychic Power Generator and Psychic Combat Simulator

[This article is my contribution to Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day 2015.]

These rules are my version of psionics intended for use with Swords & Wizardry White Box, but they are compatible with any version of Swords & Wizardry (or any version of the Original Fantasy Role-Playing Game). They could also be used for any role-playing genre using Swords & Wizardry (or similar games) as a framework.

Psionics can easily unbalance a game, so I decided to design my rules in such a way that emphasizes the unpredictability and relative unreliability of psychic abilities. In some fiction (and even in some alleged nonfictional accounts), psychic powers are described as Wild Talents. Why and how they manifest is not fully understood, and they can typically only be tapped with sporadic success. Despite attempts to study these phenomena from a scientific (i.e. parapsychological) perspective, they have consistently defied, well, consistency. Apart from debunking hoaxes, the realm of the paranormal yet lies beyond our ability to scrutinize it objectively. In that spirit, I present a random generator for your psychic role-playing needs. I thought the Roll All Dice method was appropriate to the subject, but some explanations are in order.

To generate a random Psychic Power for any player character or non-player character, merely roll 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, and 1d20. What qualifies a player character to roll for a Psychic Power depends on the discretion of the referee, but if more than one Power is desired for a given character, it is recommended that only the d20 be rolled again for further Powers. All Powers for a given character should share the same Psychic Fuel, Psychic Focus, Psychic Rejuvenation, Psychic Enhancer, and Psychic Failure Consequence.

To use a Psychic Power, a character must make a saving throw, with a bonus or penalty applied according to his or her Psychic Focus and (if applicable) Psychic Enhancer.

Psychic Fuel is the attribute that is drained each time the character uses a Psychic Power even if the attempt fails. If the attribute falls into a bracket that would deprive the character of a bonus or impose a penalty, such is the result until the attribute is restored.

Psychic Focus is the bonus or penalty to a character's Psychic Power saving throw based on the bonuses or penalties a character gets for certain attributes.

Psychic Rejuvenation is the specific method by which a character may have his or her Psychic Fuel attribute restored (apart from the usual methods such as healing in the case of hit points or certain spells in the case of actual attributes).

Psychic Enhancer is the specific object or element that the character may use, if present, to increase his or her chances of succeeding in using a Psychic Power. This is a bonus that is added, along with the Psychic Focus bonus, to the saving throw.

Psychic Failure Consequence is what happens to the character whenever he or she fails a Psychic Power saving throw in addition to being unable to manifest the Power effectively.

Psychic Power, of course, is the psychic ability itself. They are largely self-explanatory, and referees may modify them as desired. Powers, once activated, occur immediately and remain in effect until concentration is broken. Certain effects, such as damage caused or cured, last normally. Powers that affect an unwilling target may entitle the target to its own saving throw to resist its effects. Deliberate distractions, injury, or extended periods of concentration may require additional Psychic Power saving throws to maintain concentration, each of which reduces the character's Psychic Fuel attribute.


Random Psychic Power Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Psychic Fuel
That upon which the Psychic Power draws
(Each use drains 1 point from indicated attribute.)

Roll 1d4

1. Strength
2. Dexterity
3. Constitution
4. Hit Points


Psychic Focus
That which harnesses the Psychic Power
(Apply bonus/penalty from indicated attribute/s.)

Roll 1d6

1. Intelligence
2. Wisdom
3. Charisma
4. Intelligence and Wisdom
5. Intelligence and Charisma
6. Wisdom and Charisma


Psychic Rejuvenation
That which restores the Psychic Fuel
(Attributes reduced by use of Psychic Power may be restored by indicated method.)

Roll 1d8

1. Meditation (1 point per hour)
2. Chanting (2 points per hour)
3. Complete immersion in water (1d4 points)
4. Complete immersion in mud (1d6 points)
5. Clapping (1d4 points, once per day)
6. Assumption of sacred postures (1d6 points, once per day)
7. Sleep (1d8 points per night)
8. Suspended animation (all points restored; minimum one week)


Psychic Enhancer
That which heightens control over the Psychic Power
(Apply +1 bonus when indicated Enhancer is present.)

Roll 1d10

1. Crystal
2. Fire
3. Water
4. Wind
5. Mirror
6. Gong
7. Bell
8. Chime
9. Amulet
10. Body Art


Psychic Failure Consequence
That which befalls one who fails to control the Psychic Power

Roll 1d12

1. Psychic paralysis (inability to exercise Psychic Power) for 3d6 rounds.
2. Nosebleed for 3d6 rounds.
3. Double vision for 3d6 rounds (-2 penalty to appropriate actions).
4. Mute for 3d6 rounds.
5. Unconsciousness for 3d6 rounds.
6. Dizziness for 1d4 rounds (will fall or move in random direction).
7. Stunned for 1d6 rounds.
8. Blindness for 1d8 rounds (-4 penalty to appropriate actions).
9. Deafness for 1d10 rounds.
10. Overpowering headache for 1d12 rounds (concentration impossible).
11. Nausea for 1d20 rounds (concentration impossible; vomiting probable).
12. Physical injury (1d6 hit points of damage).


Psychic Power
The nature of the Psychic Power
(All Psychic Powers manifest instantaneously and last as long as concentration is maintained.)

Roll 1d20

1. Astral Projection (as the spell Astral Spell).
2. Cellular Adjustment (as the spells Cure Light Wounds and/or Cure Disease).
3. Clairaudience (enables one to hear sounds in distant or obstructed locations).
4. Clairvoyance (enables one to see things in distant or obstructed locations).
5. Cryokinesis (enables one to mentally control coldness).
6. Density Control (enables one to float like a feather, walk on water, etc.).
7. Empathy (enables one to sense and project emotions).
8. Etherealness (enables one to assume ethereal form).
9. Hypnotic Suggestion (as the spell Suggestion).
10. Levitation (as the spells Levitate and/or Fly).
11. Mind Control (as the spells Charm Person and/or Charm Monster).
12. Mind Reading (as the spell Detect Thoughts (ESP)).
13. Mind Shield (protects one from magical scrying and psychic detection).
14. Precognition (enables one to see flashes of future events).
15. Psychic Invisibility (as the spell Invisibility).
16. Psychometry (enables one to read psychic impressions on objects and places).
17. Pyrokinesis (enables one to mentally control fire and heat).
18. Telekinesis (as the spell Telekinesis).
19. Telepathy (enables one to communicate with thought).
20. Teleportation (as the spells Dimensional Portal and/or Teleport).


Psychic Combat Simulator


Beings with Psychic Powers may engage in combat with one another or with non-psychic beings by using their Psychic Attack Bonus, which is equal to their level or, in the case of monsters, their hit dice. (Thus a 5th level magic-user — or fighter, or cleric — who happens to have a Psychic Power would have a Psychic Attack Bonus of +5.) This operates exactly like a Base Hit Bonus. To make a psychic attack, a character must roll 1d20, add the Psychic Attack Bonus, and equal or exceed the defender's Psychic Defense Rating (in the manner of Ascending Armor Class), which is equal to the defender's Wisdom. Psychic beings add their Psychic Focus and Psychic Enhancer (if applicable) to their psychic attack rolls and their Psychic Defense Rating. For monsters that lack a Wisdom attribute, the referee may roll randomly as follows: 1d6 for lower animals, 2d6 for higher animals, 3d6 for sentient species, 4d6 for superhuman/supernatural beings.

In a psychic duel, both combatants attack and defend simultaneously each round. The effects of successful hits by both are counted and inflict damage even if one of the characters is killed or defeated during the round. In a conflict between a psychic being and a non-psychic being, the latter may only defend against psychic attacks, but may engage in other actions such as physical combat, spellcasting, etc.

Psychic attacks, just like uses of a Psychic Power, reduce the attacker's Psychic Fuel attribute by 1 point.

If a psychic attack is successful, the attacker causes 1d6 points of damage to the defender's Psychic Fuel attribute, or, in the case of non-psychic beings, the defender's Wisdom. If the Psychic Fuel attribute is reduced to 0, the defender dies. If the non-psychic defender's Wisdom is reduced to 1 or 2, he or she effectively becomes a robot under the attacker's command. If the defender's Wisdom is reduced to 0, the defender dies.

Summary of Psychic Combat

• Psychic Attack Bonus = character level or monster hit dice of psychic being.
  
• Psychic Defense Rating = Wisdom.
  
• To make a psychic attack against a psychic defender, roll 1d20 + Psychic Attack Bonus + Psychic Focus + Psychic Enhancer equal to or greater than defender's Psychic Defense Rating + Psychic Focus + Psychic Enhancer. A successful hit reduces defender's Psychic Fuel attribute by 1d6.
  
• To make a psychic attack against a non-psychic defender, roll 1d20 + Psychic Attack Bonus + Psychic Focus + Psychic Enhancer equal to or greater than defender's Psychic Defense Rating. A successful hit reduces defender's Wisdom by 1d6.
  
• Psychic attacks reduce the attacker's Psychic Fuel attribute by 1 point.
  
• Psychic Fuel attribute: 0 = death.
  
• Wisdom: 1 or 2 = robot.
  
• Wisdom: 0 = death.
  

[Psychic Power Generator: example #1 and example #2]

[Edit: I changed the term "Wild Talent" to "Psychic Power." 2015-05-13]

Random Background Generator for Halflings: Roll All Dice

The Random Background Generator can be used for any human or humanlike character, but this variant has been adapted specifically for use with halflings.


Random Background Generator for Halflings
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Distrusted
2. Tolerated
3. Respected
4. Admired


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Disavowed
2. Criticized
3. Unappreciated
4. Appreciated
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. One
3. Two
4. Two
5. Three
6. Three
7. Four
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Craftsmen
3. Farmers
4. Farmers
5. Gardeners
6. Herders
7. Merchants
8. Nobility
9. Scholars
10. Soldiers
11. Tradesmen
12. Woodsmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession.
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

Random Background Generator for Dwarves: Roll All Dice

The Random Background Generator can be used for any human or humanlike character, but this variant has been adapted specifically for use with dwarves.


Random Background Generator for Dwarves
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Tolerated
2. Respected
3. Admired
4. Envied


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Disowned
2. Unappreciated
3. Underappreciated
4. Appreciated
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. One
3. One
4. Two
5. None
6. None
7. None
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Artisans
3. Craftsmen
4. Craftsmen
5. Craftsmen
6. Merchants
7. Nobility
8. Scholars
9. Soldiers
10. Soldiers
11. Tradesmen
12. Tradesmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession. (All dwarves are skilled miners whether it is their primary occupation or not.)
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

Random Background Generator for Elves: Roll All Dice

The Random Background Generator can be used for any human or humanlike character, but this variant has been adapted specifically for use with elves.


Random Background Generator for Elves
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Tolerated
2. Accepted
3. Respected
4. Admired


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Shunned
2. Misunderstood
3. Discouraged
4. Encouraged
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. One
3. One
4. Two
5. Two
6. Three
7. None
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Artisans
3. Craftsmen
4. Craftsmen
5. Musicians
6. Nobility
7. Poets
8. Poets
9. Scholars
10. Scholars
11. Soldiers
12. Tradesmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession. (All elves are considered to be skilled at living in harmony with their environment, which would include, amongst other things, a vast knowledge of flora and fauna.)
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

Random Table Generator: Roll All Dice

Since I posted a table of random tables, I thought it would be appropriate to follow it up with a detailed random table generator more suitable for furnishing dungeons, castles, and wizards' libraries with desperately needed random tables.

[If a link on another blog directed you here and you are searching for random generators and Roll All Dice tables, then click on the links in this sentence.]

Random Table Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Size

Roll 1d4

1. Small
2. Medium
3. Medium
4. Large



Number of Legs

Roll 1d6

1. One (pedestal with base)
2. One (pedestal with feet)
3. Four
4. Four
5. Four
6. Eight


Style of Legs

Roll 1d8

1. Carved ornately
2. Carved simply
3. Fluted
4. Rectangular
5. Roughly hewn
6. Tapered
7. Turned
8. Gilded (plus roll again)


Shape

Roll 1d10

1. Circular
2. Circular
3. Hexagonal
4. Octagonal
5. Oval
6. Rectangular
7. Rectangular
8. Square
9. Square
10. Triangular


Style of Surface

Roll 1d12

1. Plain
2. Carved
3. Gilded
4. Inlay
5. Lacquer
6. Marble
7. Marquetry
8. Mosaic
9. Painted
10. Parquetry
11. Tiled
12. Veneered


Material

Roll 1d20

1. Alder
2. Beech
3. Birch
4. Bird's Eye Maple
5. Cherry
6. Chestnut
7. Elm
8. Hickory
9. Kingwood
10. Mahogany
11. Maple
12. Peach
13. Pear
14. Pine
15. Red Oak
16. Rosewood
17. Teak
18. Walnut
19. White Oak
20. Willow

[This is the third table of the Table of Tablecentric Tables.]

Random Background Generator Example 4

Rounding out the last example to test the Random Background Generator by creating a standard adventuring party, here is our fourth subject, straight 3d6 in order:

Strength: 14
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 7
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 10
Charisma: 10

Once again we have a character who is naturally inclined in one direction, in this case the magical arts, but we have a position to fill in the party, which is for a fighter, so he'll just have to be a fighter. A smart one. Named Norid. (*shrug*)

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 4; d6: 4; d8: 8; d10: 3; d12: 10; d20: 2.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 4, Norid's family is "Admired" — for what we shall see.

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 4, Norid is "Appreciated." He wasn't neglected, but neither was he saddled with the pressure of overly high expectations.

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 8, Norid has no siblings. Maybe I spoke too soon about expectations.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 3, his maternal grandmother lives in his parents' household. She has always doted on him, what with being an only child.

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 10, Norid comes from a long line of soldiers, which explains why he is a fighter. Being the only child, did he have a choice (even though he knows he was born to be a scholar of magic)?

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 2, Norid was "Chosen." In this case, he was chosen to be a warrior and a hero. His family is admired for the heroes it has produced, and Norid will doubtless maintain the tradition and fulfill the expectations of both his family and the community that has always looked to it for leadership (despite Norid's unexceptional charisma).

Summary

Growing up an only child in a family admired for its heroic martial lineage, Norid has been marked as chosen for a destiny of heroism, and as such he has spent his life preparing for that moment of truth on the battlefield, despite the fact that he has always felt that the study and practice of magic was his true calling. Perhaps life as an adventurer will allow him to satisfy both his sense of duty and his scholarly curiosity.

Random Background Generator Example 3

I felt a need to round out my examples for the Random Background Generator, so here is another one:

Strength: 11
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 16
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 11
Charisma: 7

With a high dexterity and low charisma, this character would have been a natural thief, but the party needs a cleric, so with a wisdom of 16, he's a cleric. Meet Reffold the Scruffy.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 3; d6: 6; d8: 6; d10: 2; d12: 12; d20: 15.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 3, Reffold's family is "Respected" (not surprising since they produced a priest).

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 6, Reffold is "Favored" in his family (not surprising since he agreed to become a priest).

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 6, Reffold has six siblings. I'll roll 1d8 to determine his birth order (rerolling if the result is 8). Randomly determining the sex of each in order (evens vs. odds), they are: sister, brother, sister, brother, sister, Reffold, sister.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 2, there is a maternal grandfather in the household. He's a quiet fellow, but he has reservoirs of wisdom he occasionally shares.

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 12, it's another family of woodsmen. We'll make them loggers (and secondarily carpenters). Reffold will have some knowledge of both professions. And the family, being respected by the community and proud to have a son in the clergy, has probably contributed lumber and labor in the construction of churches and hospitals. Such a family of do-gooders needs a surname: Woodfell will do. Reffold Woodfell, sometimes styled "the Scruffy."

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 15, Reffold's reason for adventuring is "Rejection." This is at odds with his favored status in a respected family, so we'll say he was rejected by his religious order and he is seeking to atone for something (probably an unfortunate social gaffe exacerbated by his below average charisma) so he can rejoin the order.

Summary

Growing up the favored sixth child amongst seven in a family of respected and devout loggers and carpenters, including wise old Grandpa, Reffold entered the clergy and made the Woodfell clan proud, but a blunder made worse by his deficiency in social skills caused him to fall out of favor with his religious order and now he must atone. He has been cast out until he can return with proof that he is worthy to rejoin his order.

Random Background Generator Example 2

Because it was fun the first time and because I need to meet my goal of posting 24 articles per month, I rolled another character to test the Random Background Generator. Once again, I rolled straight 3d6 in order for attributes and came up with:

Strength: 12
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 12
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 12
Charisma: 15

None of the classes in Basic/Expert D&D have charisma has a prime requisite, so the next highest attribute, dexterity, makes the character a thief for the purpose of this example. His name will be... Bastrado. He's a bit of a bastard. (Not really.)

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 3; d6: 5; d8: 5; d10: 5; d12: 12; d20: 8.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 3, Bastrado's family is "Respected." Their surname will be... Astradi (like the stars... sort of).

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 5, Bastrado, despite his name, is "Beloved." A lovechild, if you will.

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 5, Bastrado has five siblings. Since there are six offsping, we can roll 1d6 to determine Bastrado's birth order. Another roll of 5 makes him the fifth brat out of six. Any means can be used to determine the sex. I'll roll 5d6 in order. Evens will be one and odds will be the other. The resulting order is: brother, brother, sister, brother, Bastrado, brother.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 5, a paternal grandmother is in the household to help herd the rambunctious children. Granny Astradi!

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 12, the Astradi clan is a clan of woodsmen. They live in the woods and they do woods-related things. If it's a royal wood, perhaps they are gamekeepers. If not, perhaps they are loggers or hunters or trappers. I'll make them gamekeepers.

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 8, Bastrado Astradi is a fugitive. Why? Because he poached a prize stag belonging to the king, of course, in clear violation of the law the Astradi family is sworn to enforce. The incorrigable Bastrado, in an effort to save his family from punishment, surrendered to the sherriff under a fictitious name, but subsequently escaped with the help of certain criminal elements. Now inextricably involved with the Thieves' Guild, Bastrado has charted a new course for his life quite unlike the one he knew with his family.

Summary

Growing up as the beloved (if mischievous) next-to-youngest child in a respected family of woodsmen (who are royal gamekeepers) with the additional supervision of Granny Astradi, Bastrado Astradi committed the crime of poaching. To spare his family, he surrendered under an assumed name. With the help of the Thieves' Guild, he escaped custody and is now at large, practicing his new profession.

These things write themselves!

Random Background Generator Example

To illustrate how the Random Background Generator may be used (but equally just for fun), I decided to roll up a character and apply its results. I dislike rolling straight 3d6 in order for attributes, but did so anyway as a tip of the hat to a certain segment of the gaming populace. At any rate, I rolled:

Strength: 7
Intelligence: 14
Wisdom: 10
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 12
Charisma: 13

I already decided that the highest attribute would determine the class, but there is a tie for magic-user (intelligence) and thief (dexterity). I am choosing magic-user because the low strength would be less of a disadvantage for a quill-pushing magic-user than it would be for a law-flouting thief. So a spellcaster he is. His name will be... Phyrenzo, because it popped into my head.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 4; d6: 3, d8: 8; d10: 2; d12: 8; d20: 19.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 3, the reputation of Phyrenzo's family is "Respected." We can assume that his surname, whatever it is, is a good one.

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 3, Phyrenzo is "Unappreciated." This may have something to do with why he would leave his respected family to go adventuring.

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 8, Phyrenzo has no siblings. This means we don't have to determine whether each sibling is a brother or a sister, nor do we need to determine his birth order, but it does mean he may have been a lonely child. He was probably a disappointment, hence the lack of appreciation.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 2, Phyrenzo grew up with a maternal grandfather in the home in addition to his parents. Maybe Grandfather knew something of the magical arts and provided attention that wasn't available in the form of siblings.

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 8, Phyrenzo was born into a line of scholars of some sort. This fits well with his class. Maybe, however, his line of scholarship is at odds with the family tradition. Maybe his family is a line of religious scholars, possibly even clerics, whereas he and his grandfather felt a pull toward the dangerous study of secular magic.

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 19, at least one of Phyrenzo's reasons for adventuring is the "spiritual quest." Maybe his respectable family of religious scholars turned him out with orders that he should not return until he has made his peace with their deity and given up dabbling in secular magic. Maybe they sent him on a pilgrimage in the hope that the journey will cause him to witness the miseries of the world and recognize the vanity of his chosen profession. Or maybe, alienated by his family's religious views, he is undertaking a spiritual quest of his own volition to find answers to his own questions, and these questions might be answerable by exploring the ruins of the past.

Summary

Starting with a blank character sheet and some randomly generated attributes, we now have a magic-user who grew up as an unappreciated only child in a family of respected religious scholars with only his grandfather to share his interest in magical studies. Now he is on a spiritual quest, willingly or unwillingly, that will cause him to face dangers nigh unimaginable, but may also end in rich reward (literally, metaphorically, or both).

Not every player character needs this much background information, and sometimes it's enjoyable to generate the background as one is playing, but for those who need the extra nudge to help them visualize their characters, I think it's a useful tool.

Random Background Generator: Roll All Dice

It has been my observation that many players, when confronted with creating a new character, suffer from something akin to writer's block. They are, after all, engaged in a similar process: charged with generating a unique personality with whom they may be spending a great deal of time and facing a dauntingly blank sheet of paper. This role-player's block can strike players of any level of experience. Regardless of the amount of background information a player is expected to provide, it can sometimes be helpful to generate some of it randomly. The following tables are provided as an option to players who are suffering from the dreaded role-player's block. Feel free to use the results from any or all of the tables.


Random Background Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Despised
2. Tolerated
3. Respected
4. Admired


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Disowned
2. Scorned
3. Unappreciated
4. Appreciated
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Beggars
3. Craftsmen
4. Criminals
5. Merchants
6. Nobility
7. Peasants
8. Scholars
9. Serfs
10. Soldiers
11. Tradesmen
12. Woodsmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes:

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession.
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

[See also this example. Or this. Or this. Or this.]

Random Ray Gun Generator: Roll All Dice

[The following is a revision of my earlier random ray gun generator incorporating the Roll All Dice method using the standard dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20).]

These tables may be used to generate the audibility, focus, beam, range, color, and type of ray produced by any ray gun or ray attack. Certain colors may be more appropriate for certain types of rays and may be rerolled or designated as desired.


Random Ray Gun Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Audibility

Roll 1d4

1. Low
2. Normal
3. Normal
4. High


Focus

Roll 1d6

1. Narrow
2. Narrow
3. Narrow/Wide
4. Narrow/Wide
5. Wide
6. Wide


Beam

Roll 1d8

1. Continuous
2. Pulsed
3. Continuous
4. Phased
5. Continuous
6. Ringed
7. Continuous
8. Fluctuating


Range

Roll 1d10

1. 30'
2. 60'
3. 90'
4. 120'
5. 150'
6. 180'
7. 210'
8. 240'
9. 270'
10. 300'


Color

Roll 1d12

1. Red
2. Orange
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Blue
6. Indigo
7. Violet
8. Black
9. White
10. Gold
11. Silver
12. Invisible


Type

Roll 1d20

1. Amnesia ray* (as the spell forget; obliterates memories of last 1d4 rounds; expends 1 charge)
2. Blinding ray* (blinds target for 1d12 turns; expends 1 charge)
3. Death ray* (as the spell death spell; expends 2 charges)
4. Destructo ray** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6)
5. Disintegrator ray* (as the spell disintegrate; expends 2 charges)
6. Electro ray** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6)
7. Enfeeblement ray* (as the spell ray of enfeeblement; weakens target 50% for 1d10 rounds; expends 1 charge)
8. Force ray*** (damage: 2d6; pushes target; expends 1 charge)
9. Freeze ray*** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6; encases target in ice)
10. Heat ray** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6; ignites combustibles)
11. Hypno ray* (as the spell suggestion; expends 1 charge)
12. Immobilizer ray* (as the spell hold person; duration: 12 rounds; expends 1 charge)
13. Petrification ray* (as the spell flesh to stone; expends 2 charges)
14. Shrink ray* (as the spell reduce; expends 2 charges)
15. Sleep ray* (as the spell sleep; affects any HD; duration: 1 hour; expends 2 charges)
16. Sonic ray*** (damage: 3d6; deafens target for 1d12 turns; expends 1 charge)
17. Stasis ray* (as the spell temporal stasis; expends 1d20 charges)
18. Stun ray* (stuns target for 2d4 rounds; expends 1 charge)
19. Telekinetic ray* (as the spell telekinesis; expends 1 charge/round)
20. Withering ray* (as the spell wither; expends 2 charges)

* No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands to negate effect
** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage
*** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage and to negate effect

Example:

A roll of 4, 6, 3, 6, 3, 11 yields a High Audibility, Wide Focus, Continuous Beam, 180' Maximum Range, Yellow Hypno Ray.

Notes:

• "Low Audibility" means anything from silent to as loud as a whisper.
  
• "Normal Audibility" means the average volume of a ray gun heard in a movie.
  
• "High Audibility" means as loud as a firearm or louder.
  
• "Range" is given in feet in the manner of Basic/Expert D&D and Labyrinth Lord.
  
• "Narrow/Wide Focus" means either setting may be selected.
  
• A "Pulsed Beam" consists of a continuous beam with regular pulses.
  
• A "Phased Beam" flickers.
  
• A "Ringed Beam" consists of a series of individual rings emitted rapidly. One example is the ray gun that appears in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
  
• A "Fluctuating Beam" may be described variously as "rippled," "wavy," or like an electrical discharge.
  
• All ray types hit their target as long as a.) there is line of sight, b.) the target is within range, c.) the target lacks a defense against the ray, and d.) the target fails to save (vs. Wands or whatever the referee chooses).
  

Elaborations Power sources will vary depending on the setting. In general, a fully charged ray gun will have 100 charges (subtract 0-9 charges or more if found during an adventure). Some models may use power clips containing 10 or 20 charges each.

Recharging a ray gun with a compatible power source requires 10 hours of recharging time (10 charges per hour). Power clips may be recharged in one or two hours (for the 10 and 20 charge clips respectively).

Each shot will drain a ray gun or its power clip of one or more charges. Ray guns capable of variable settings will drain additional charges at higher settings. For example, a destructo ray gun might have six settings: 1d6 damage = 1 charge; 2d6 damage = 2 charges; 3d6 damage = 3 charges, etc.

Random Robot Generator: Roll All Dice

Inspired by this post from Necropraxis, I couldn't resist making my own random robot generator using the "roll all the dice" technique, which in this Web log will henceforth be known as the Roll All Dice method because it reminds me of the film Destroy All Monsters.

In this case "Roll All Dice" includes the d3 and the d30 as well as the usual d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. (You may use a d6 to represent the d3 in the usual way, although I'm lucky enough to have an actual d3 that survives from my childhood copy of the board game Chopper Strike.)

Please note that this table generates robots of science fiction rather than automata of fantasy or mythology, although the effects are described using terms compatible with Dungeons & Dragons or Labyrinth Lord or their ilk. It may, of course, be used with any game of any genre as desired.


Random Robot Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Size

Roll 1d3 (or choose)

1. Small (1d4 HD, AC 4)
2. Medium (1d8 HD, AC 3)
3. Large (1d8+4 HD, AC 2)


Torso

Roll 1d4

1. Boxy
2. Cylindrical
3. Humanoid
4. Spheroid


Limbs

Roll 1d6

1. Blocky
2. Humanoid
3. Spheroid
4. Spindly
5. Tentacular
6. Tubular

(Choose number of limbs or determine randomly.)
(Choose manipular parts or determine randomly: claw, hand, mini-tentacles, or multi-tool.)


Locomotion

Roll 1d8

1. Hover
2. Legs
3. Rollers
4. Legs
5. Treads
6. Legs
7. Wheels
8. Legs


Head

Roll 1d10

1. Nil
2. Disklike
3. Domal
4. Conical
5. Cubical
6. Cylindrical
7. Humanoid and/or helmeted
8. Multifaceted
9. Pyramidal
10. Spheroid


Hand-to-Hand Weapon

Roll 1d12

1. Blade (damage: 1d8)
2. Chain saw (damage: 2d8)
3. Circular saw (damage: 3d6)
4. Contact shocker (as the spell shocking grasp)
5. Contact stunner (stuns target for 1d6 rounds)
6. Drill (damage: 2d10)
7. Grinder (damage: 4d6)
8. Jackhammer (damage: 1d12)
9. Man catcher (damage: 1d2 + capture; roll bend bars to escape)
10. Power shears (damage: 2d6)
11. Reinforced manipular part (+1 damage)
12. Vise pincer (damage: 1d6 + capture; roll bend bars to escape)


Ranged Weapon

Roll 1d20

1. Atomic blaster (damage: 1d8/HD; range: 120')
2. Dart gun (damage: 1 hit point + sleep; range: 30')
3. Death ray* (as the spell death spell; range: 180')
4. Destructo ray** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 120')
5. Disintegrator ray* (as the spell disintegrate; range: 60')
6. Disruptor (damage: 1d10/HD; range: 100')
7. Electro ray** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 120')
8. Flamethrower** (damage: 3d10; range: 80')
9. Force ray*** (damage: 2d6; range: 120'; pushes target)
10. Freeze ray*** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 60'; encases target in ice)
11. Grenade launcher
12. Gyrojet rocket launcher (damage: 1d10; range: 300')
13. Heat ray** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 200'; ignites combustibles)
14. Laser (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 240')
15. Netcaster (as the spell web; range: 30')
16. Immobilizer ray* (as the spell hold person; duration: 2 rounds/HD; range: 120')
17. Petrification ray* (as the spell flesh to stone; range: 60')
18. Slugthrower (damage: 1d8; range: 240')
19. Sonic ray*** (damage: 3d6; range: 60'; deafens target for 1d12 turns)
20. Stun ray* (range: 180'; stuns target for 2d4 rounds)

* No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands to negate effect
** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage
*** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage and to negate effect

Special Features

Roll 1d30

1. Amphibious
2. Beverage dispenser
3. Burrowing capability
4. Detachable probes (as the spell wizard eye)
5. Directional orientation sensor (direction, altitude, depth)
6. Displacement (improves AC by 2; +2 to saves)
7. Divisible (splits into five smaller robots)
8. Electromagnet
9. Extended range communicator
10. Flight capability (as the spell fly)
11. Force field (as the spell wall of force)
12. Heightened senses
13. Holographic projector
14. Med kit
15. Radar
16. Reflective armor (repels all lasers; +2 to saves vs. visible rays)
17. Reinforced armor (improves AC by 1)
18. Reinforced frame (improves HD by 1)
19. Short range teleportation (as the spell blink)
20. Sonic nullifier (as the spell silence 15' radius)
21. Spotlight
22. Stationary invisibility (as the spell invisibility, but only when motionless)
23. Substance analyzer
24. Tech kit
25. Transformable (changes into vehicle or different robot shape)
26. Vacuum cleaner
27. Variable gravity generator (0-2 Gs)
28. Wallclimbing capability (as the spell spider climb)
29. Water purifier
30. X-ray vision (range: 20')