RPG FOR DUMMIES

Chapter II - Building Your Character!

Let's use our renowned dwarf warrior as a base to facilitate understanding: Gordin – the brave!!! Below is his character sheet, followed by explanations of each element:

- **Name:** Gordin – the brave

- **Level:** 1

- **Class/Race:** Warrior/Dwarf

- **Attack:** D10 (Axe) / Range: D6 (Throwing Axes)

- **Defense:** D8 (Chainmail)

- **Vitality:** 12

- **Movement:** D4

- **Specials:**

- Enhanced Constitution (+2 Vitality)

- Iron Will (D8 VS Mind-Affecting Spells)

- Find Secret Passages and Traps (D8)

- Enhanced Defense against Giants (+1D, i.e., Defense = D10)

- **Equipment:** Basic Beginner.

Now, explaining everything; Name, Class, and Race don't need explanations... Everyone is tired of knowing that, now let's get to the interesting part:

- **Level:** This varies!!! Since this RPG is "lame" and easy to play, you gain a level after each adventure that can be exchanged for specials. Maybe I'll write a chapter just about this (Strengthening Your Character)!!!

- **Attack:** It depends on the weapon used + any bonuses the character may have. Warrior-type characters (Paladins, Ninjas, Rangers, etc.) can evolve to a +1 bonus at level 2, while non-warrior characters (thieves, mages, bards, etc.) might get it around level 3!

- **Defense:** It depends on the armor the character is currently using (see the chapter: equipment) + any class or special bonuses the character may have.

- **Vitality:** Character's Hit Points, indicating their health. Warrior characters start with 10, and non-warrior characters start with 8. In our example, Gordin has the special ENHANCED CONSTITUTION, which gives him an additional 2 points, totaling 12. If it reaches 0, you become unconscious, and at -1, you're dead!!!

Optional Rule if you want to make the game more hardcore: If it reaches 1, you are incredibly injured and receive a -1 penalty to everything.

- **Movement:** Indicates how fast your character moves on the battle map/board. This item will be better explained in the next chapters. For now, just refer to the table below to know your character's speed:

Small size (dwarves, halflings...) = D4

Normal/Medium size (men, elves...) = D6

Four legs (Centaurs, horses, animals in general) = D8

Giants = D10

Flyers = D12

This table can vary a lot, depending on items, specials, spells, terrain, etc.

- **Mana:** Note that this attribute didn't appear on Gordin's sheet. This is because Gordin doesn't cast spells, so he doesn't have mana! To enable this attribute, the character needs the special MANA CONTROL, more common for spellcaster characters (Mages, druids, bards), but it can be acquired by other characters during the game. Initially, the character with this ability has 10 mana points.

- **Specials:** These are the items that come "factory-made" ;-)! This is the part that defines your character. They are specific characteristics based on class, race, player preferences, the dungeon master's decisions, etc. Note that Gordin's specials are based on his race, but the player or dungeon master is free to create whatever their twisted imagination allows, as long as it makes sense, of course. Oh! The maximum for beginner characters is 4 specials, and very powerful specials (like MANA CONTROL explained above) reduce your total number of specials, this will be better explained in the future, where I'll provide the list of specials.

- **Equipment:** Equipment is equipment, obviously. Ex.: Rope, rations, torch, etc. Here I decided to divide it into three groups to facilitate: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Chapter 4 will be just about this.

Well, in the next chapter, I'll provide a list of eight basic starting characters for you to begin your adventures. These are templates that, when added to the noble Gordin above, total 9 characters ready to be played. With time, you'll create characters in 5 minutes! Quite different from the games we're used to, where we spend one game night just building a character that will die in the first adventure Bwahahahuahuahuaha (maleficent laugh)!!!