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<blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 6578352" data-attributes="member: 92305"><p><strong>-- QUICK PLAYER CHARACTER CREATION --</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>One of the gripes that is common about the d20 system is the time it takes to create characters. Those stat blocks hold a lot of detail. But, we all know that there are times during a game session that a character is needed as soon as possible. Maybe a PC dies and the player wants a new character. Maybe, through roleplaying, another character joints the group (and this could be caused by a new player joining the session late). Maybe the GM needs a detailed NPC quick but doesn't already have a character designed.</p><p></p><p>Here's the quick method I use when these situations arise.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>1. Roll 4d6, drop lowest, and total. Do this for each stat. Allow the player to arrange to taste.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>2. Pick class and race. Add racial and class benefits to the character's sheet.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>3. Roll (or figure, if 1st level) the character's hit points. Assign Fate Points.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>4. Quickly outfit using the equipment packages available in the core rulebook and in the Player's Guide. The GM should add or remove equipment as the story requires.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>And that's it.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The whole point here is to get the bare minimum and <u><em>KEEP THE GAME MOVING</em></u>.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>It doesn't take long to do the above. It DOES take long to figure skills and pick feats and complete the rest of the statistics on the character's sheet. </p><p></p><p><strong>What I do is this:</strong> Figure skill points and (the GM) keeps a tally. If a skill check comes up that game session, then let the player choose, right then, how many skill points he wants to put into that skill. What the player says is binding. He cannot later reduce the number of skill points used for that skill (but, I do allow a player to increase the skill points used, if possible). Then, after the game session, before the next game session, the player should have ample time to complete his character. Many of the blanks on the character sheet (height, weight, and so on) can be chosen and scribbled in at the player's leisure. Usually this is done during that first game session, but I've had players want to "get to know" the character that they are creating over a session or two. The player will show up to a game session soon, saying something like, "I see him! He's got this long black hair, hacked off with his knife, and these piercing green eyes."</p><p></p><p>Feats and other aspects of the character can be chosen in the same way. </p><p></p><p>Now, sometimes players are lazy and show up to game session two with some excuse and an incomplete character. That's OK with me. My rule is that all skill points must be assigned before the character advances to the next level. All Feats must be chosen before the next level is obtained.</p><p></p><p>If an unresolved detail becomes important during the game session, then simply resolve that one issue quickly, record it, and keep the game moving. For example, let's say that the characters are crossing an old wood and rope bridge that spans a ravine, one at a time. The GM knows that there is a chance that the wooden slats will break, they're so rotten, after a certain amount of weight presses on them. The GM needs to know the weight of each character using the bridge so that he knows who, if anyone, breaks the slat and must make a Reflex save or fall into the ravine.</p><p></p><p>If this type of thing comes up in a game, simply ask the player to assign weight to his character. And, again, what he says then, is binding. He cannot change it later.</p><p></p><p>Yes, there is a little advantage that a player has in being able to game and then assign Skill Points or pick a Feat in the face of a problem that must be surmounted during the game session. But...so what? Let the player have that little advantage. He's a hero, after all. And, creating characters this way sure keeps the game from being bogged down.</p><p></p><p>I sometimes do this with NPCs. I create what I need--maybe just a single attribute and a skill to go with it--then forget the character after use. If I plan to use the NPC again, I may fully flesh him out. It depends on what is needed.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Requiring more work, but something I also do from time to time (when I have time) is create NPCs and keep them for special occasions. I may have an idea for a neat NPC as I drive home from work. I'll come home and create that character. Then, I just throw him in a stack at the back of my GM notebook. If ever a circumstance presents itself where I need that type of character, I pull him out. I'll also hand a pre-made character to a player who needs a character, if that player is open to playing a character he didn't create. If he's not, the player might just play the character that one game night and create his own character in between sessions--when there is more time.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Water Bob, post: 6578352, member: 92305"] [b]-- QUICK PLAYER CHARACTER CREATION --[/b] One of the gripes that is common about the d20 system is the time it takes to create characters. Those stat blocks hold a lot of detail. But, we all know that there are times during a game session that a character is needed as soon as possible. Maybe a PC dies and the player wants a new character. Maybe, through roleplaying, another character joints the group (and this could be caused by a new player joining the session late). Maybe the GM needs a detailed NPC quick but doesn't already have a character designed. Here's the quick method I use when these situations arise. [b]1. Roll 4d6, drop lowest, and total. Do this for each stat. Allow the player to arrange to taste. 2. Pick class and race. Add racial and class benefits to the character's sheet. 3. Roll (or figure, if 1st level) the character's hit points. Assign Fate Points. 4. Quickly outfit using the equipment packages available in the core rulebook and in the Player's Guide. The GM should add or remove equipment as the story requires. And that's it. The whole point here is to get the bare minimum and [u][i]KEEP THE GAME MOVING[/i][/u].[/b] It doesn't take long to do the above. It DOES take long to figure skills and pick feats and complete the rest of the statistics on the character's sheet. [b]What I do is this:[/b] Figure skill points and (the GM) keeps a tally. If a skill check comes up that game session, then let the player choose, right then, how many skill points he wants to put into that skill. What the player says is binding. He cannot later reduce the number of skill points used for that skill (but, I do allow a player to increase the skill points used, if possible). Then, after the game session, before the next game session, the player should have ample time to complete his character. Many of the blanks on the character sheet (height, weight, and so on) can be chosen and scribbled in at the player's leisure. Usually this is done during that first game session, but I've had players want to "get to know" the character that they are creating over a session or two. The player will show up to a game session soon, saying something like, "I see him! He's got this long black hair, hacked off with his knife, and these piercing green eyes." Feats and other aspects of the character can be chosen in the same way. Now, sometimes players are lazy and show up to game session two with some excuse and an incomplete character. That's OK with me. My rule is that all skill points must be assigned before the character advances to the next level. All Feats must be chosen before the next level is obtained. If an unresolved detail becomes important during the game session, then simply resolve that one issue quickly, record it, and keep the game moving. For example, let's say that the characters are crossing an old wood and rope bridge that spans a ravine, one at a time. The GM knows that there is a chance that the wooden slats will break, they're so rotten, after a certain amount of weight presses on them. The GM needs to know the weight of each character using the bridge so that he knows who, if anyone, breaks the slat and must make a Reflex save or fall into the ravine. If this type of thing comes up in a game, simply ask the player to assign weight to his character. And, again, what he says then, is binding. He cannot change it later. Yes, there is a little advantage that a player has in being able to game and then assign Skill Points or pick a Feat in the face of a problem that must be surmounted during the game session. But...so what? Let the player have that little advantage. He's a hero, after all. And, creating characters this way sure keeps the game from being bogged down. I sometimes do this with NPCs. I create what I need--maybe just a single attribute and a skill to go with it--then forget the character after use. If I plan to use the NPC again, I may fully flesh him out. It depends on what is needed. Requiring more work, but something I also do from time to time (when I have time) is create NPCs and keep them for special occasions. I may have an idea for a neat NPC as I drive home from work. I'll come home and create that character. Then, I just throw him in a stack at the back of my GM notebook. If ever a circumstance presents itself where I need that type of character, I pull him out. I'll also hand a pre-made character to a player who needs a character, if that player is open to playing a character he didn't create. If he's not, the player might just play the character that one game night and create his own character in between sessions--when there is more time. [/QUOTE]
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