TheSword
Legend
I've just re-read the original Discworld books - Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic - two classics of fantasy literature that I first read as a teen. I don't think I appreciated it at the time but Rincewind is probably the bravest character I have seen in fantasy. Not because he is particularly powerful, but rather because he enters truly dangerous circumstances despite not being. As he says at the end of Light Fantastic... "If it stops anywhere, it stops here". When it comes to the crunch he steps up and does the right thing time and time again. That's true heroism.
Discworld Wiki describes him as so:
While it is technically possible to play a wizard without spells in D&D 5e I can't see it being a particularly rewarding or entertaining experience. He would also have to take some pretty un-Rincewind style classes to become a playable character anywhere beyond level one. Rincewind as a fighter? A Rogue? He might fight dirty from time to time but I can't see him making a sneak attack very often... his hat makes him too obvious. He is a scrapper, he's a bar room brawler, he's smart, and linguistically erudite, observant, and pragmatic.
WFRP 4e would make him not only viable but eminently practical as a character. I would start him off as an Apprentice Wizard to represent his time at Unseen University. He's going to be intelligent, knows the basic principles of magic, but can also handle himself in a fight, is a good judge of character, and can read and see magic. He has the Lucky Talent granting an extra fortune point as The Lady likes him. His Linguistics means one month exposure to a language means he can learn it with an Intelligence Test once per month. While his Flee! talent means he is capable of impressive bursts of speed increasing his movement as 1 higher when Fleeing. Most importantly his second sight means he can see Death when he comes himself to claim him.
Rincewind the Wizards Apprentice
Male, Human, Wizards Apprentice.
WS 37, BS 26, S31, T 34, I33, Ag 32, Dex 31, Int 43, WP 29, Fel 35
Attributes: Move 4, Wounds 11, Fate/Fortune) 4/5, Resilience/Resolve) 2/2, Status Brass 3
Skills: Channelling (Aqshy) 32, Charm 40, Dodge 42, Evaluate 46, Gossip 38, Haggle 38, Intuition 41, Language (Klatchian) 48, Language (Be-Trobi) 48, Language (Magick) 45, Lore (Magic) 47, Melee (Basic) 42, Perception 41.
Talents: Second Sight, Read/Write, Doomed, Savvy, Luck, Flee! Linguistics.
Trappings: 19 brass pennies, Robes, Pointy Hat, Dagger, Pouch, Sling Bag, Writing Kit, 7 sheets of parchment. One of the Eight Great Spells.
At the first possible opportunity he would ditch his current career unfinished. Using the first experience received in game to switch career. My suggestion would be to the first Tier of the Investigator career - the Sleuth. Representing his nose for trouble and brains-based approach to solving problems. This lets him develop his Initiative, Agility and Intelligence further. Many of his skills and attributes are useful in the new career and give him a head start on advancement. Sleuth also gives him some useful extra skills: Climb (for getting over walls), Stealth (for hiding in Alleyways), Track (for following Two-Flower or the Luggage!) and several languages that he has picked up with his Linguistics talent. He has also learned two useful talents: Beneath Notice lets him blend innocuously into the background when others have more status than him, and foes get no Advantage benefit for striking him in combat - he just isn't worth it! Meanwhile Sharp heightens his already substantial nose for trouble even further. Five or six sessions in at around 800 XP he will likely look something like this.
Rincewind the Sleuth
Male, Human, Sleuth, ex Wizards Apprentice.
WS 37, BS 26, S31, T 34, I43, Ag 37, Dex 31, Int 44, WP 29, Fel 35
Attributes: Move 4, Wounds 11, Fate/Fortune) 4/5, Resilience/Resolve) 2/2, Silver 1
Skills: Channelling (Aqshy) 32, Charm 40, Climb 36, Cool 34, Dodge 50, Evaluate 46, Gossip 40, Haggle 38, Intuition 53, Language (Klatchian) 48, Language (Vanglemesht) 45, Language (Summtri) 45, Language (Black Oroogu) 45, Language (Be-Trobi) 48, Language (Magick) 45, Lore (Magic) 47, Melee (Basic) 42, Perception 55, Stealth (Urban) 42, Track 48.
Talents: Second Sight, Read/Write, Doomed, Savvy, Luck, Flee! Linguistics, Beneath Notice, Sharp
Trappings: 6 silver shillings, Robes, Pointy Hat, Dagger, Pouch, Sling Bag, Journal, Writing Kit, 7 sheets of parchment. One of the Eight Great Spells.
After fifteen to twenty session (by the time he reaches the end of the first two Discworld novels) Rincewind has been around the block a fair bit. Another 2,000 or so XP let him complete the second Tier of Investigator and what's more his status increases to Silver 2. He's a bit more confident and self assured, his reactions are even faster and he's smarter and more self aware. Notably his right hook is impressive... enough to give a Dungeon-Dimension-Trymon a bloody good beating. He drinks more than he did before and can pick a lock or a pocket. His new talent is Tenacious because he never gives up, no matter how impossible his travails appear, gaining a +1 SL for Endurance tests to endure hardships. He also used the Unusual Learning Endeavour to learn Nose For Trouble, because his time learning from Two-Flower has trained him to spot danger with an intuition check before it becomes apparent.
Rincewind lost a Fate Point when he fell off the rim but he was instrumental in surviving the Red Star regaining a Fate Point and he achieved a major motivation (ridding himself of the Great Spell lodged in his mind) gaining an extra point of Resilience. He has also acquired some very useful Luggage!
Rincewind the Investigator
Male, Human, Investigator, ex Wizards Apprentice.
WS 37, BS 26, S31, T 34, I 48, Ag 42, Dex 31, Int 49, WP 29, Fel 40
Attributes: Move 4, Wounds 11, Fate/Fortune) 4/5, Resilience/Resolve) 3/3, Silver 3
Skills: Channelling (Aqshy) 32, Charm 50, Climb 36, Consume Alcohol, 39, Cool 39, Dodge 58, Evaluate 54, Gossip 50, Haggle 43, Intuition 58, Language (Klatchian) 54, Language (Chimeran) 50, Language (Vanglemesht) 50, Language (Summtri) 50, Language (Black Oroogu) 50, Language (High Borogravian) 50, Language (Be-Trobi) 50, Language (Magick) 52, Lore (Magic) 54, Melee (Basic) 42, Melee (Brawling) 47, Perception 58, Stealth (Urban) 52, Track 58.
Talents: Second Sight, Read/Write, Doomed, Savvy, Luck, Flee! Linguistics, Beneath Notice, Sharp, Tenacious, Nose for Trouble.
Trappings: 11 silver shillings, Robes, Pointy Hat, Dagger, short club, pouch, sling bag, journal, writing kit, 7 sheets of parchment, a leather jacket, magnifying glass, lockpicks, Luggage!
From here the Disc is his oyster. He could return to being a wizard and learn magic, now the great spell isn't scaring the lesser spells away. He certainly has the intelligence and many of the requisite skills for it. Or he could continue on in his investigator career becoming a famed Detective. I think his profile and skill with languages would make him an even better Envoy, able to complete Tier 1 and 2 very quickly, acting as a high ranking diplomat to the cities of the circle sea.
In short, the WFRP 4e system lets you make a character who can not only survive the dangers of a fantasy TTRPG but actually thrive! Even one with no aptitude or his core skill at character creation. The process of development enhances the character and brings him to life with useful skills and talent. Its just one of the many things I love about WFRP.
[NB] For WFRP afficionados, Rincewind generated Flee! Lingustics and Luck as his starter talents. He purchase Read and Write at character creation using the 120 XP creation bonus because of course he accepted the hand that Fate dealt him... no one would choose to be like Rincewind, surely!
Last edited:
