Character Generation

in the AFAL Run

There are three methods to chose from for generating characters in this game:

Normally I would only offer the first two, but all of the original characters remaining in the game used the Stats Buying System, so I am continuing to offer it.

Best of Three Characters:

Roll three complete sets of statistics (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA) using the usual best three of four d6. Choose the set that looks like the most fun. (No mixing stats between sets).

This can now be done on-line at http://flockhart.virtualave.net/afal/dieroller.html

Roll Till You Get One:

Announce to the GM before you start that you are going to play a particular character class. Roll complete sets of six stats until you get a set that qualifies (meets all minimums and doesn't exceed any maximums) for that class. Use that character. Note that for most basic classes, the Best of Three method will usually provide three valid choices, wheras this way you only get one.

Stats Buying System:

You get 829 points with which to buy your 6 statistics. The costs of different stats are:

    3  0
    4  10
    5  20
    6  30
    7  41
    8  52
    9  63
    10  75
    11  88
    12  101
    13  115
    14  131
    15  149
    16  169
    17  194
    18  234

Here are some sample characters generated using this system:

        17     9     17     12     18     7   (827)
    17 8 17 12 18 8 (827)
    17 9 16 13 18 8 (827)
    17 8 16 14 18 7 (821)
    18 8 16 11 18 8 (829)
    16 16 16 11 16 9 (827)
    13 15 15 15 15 13 (826)
    18 18 18 7 7 7 (825)

Gail Sanders has created an Excel spreadsheet (also works under Open Office) that calculates character points for this system automatically as you adjust character stats and even shows you how many spells of each level your character can learn if he/she is of the wizardly persuasion. He has kindly agreed to let me post it for players to use here. Here is his older version if you're used to that.

I don't actually hate this system, I just think 829 points is way too high (and it leads to adventuring bands that are uglier than rock and roll bands). As a result I have modified the system with the experience point bonus rule below.

Note that these are costs before racial mods are applied. If a Dwarf wants an 18 CON, all he has to buy is a 17. Conversely, if a Dwarf buys an 8 CHA, all he gets is a 7.

Experience Points:

New characters start with a number of experience points equal to the Minimum Player XP (MPX), i.e. the same XP as those of the lowest-experience player-character currently in the game (usually Moogh) at the time when they start. Recent XP totals can be viewed at http://afal.flockhart.org/experience.html (most recent at the bottom) but remember that I will bring everyone up-to-date before assigning XP to a new player, so the actual starting amount will probably be slightly higher than that shown.

Bonus Experience Points:

Because I dislike the stat point levels established at the start of the campaign (circa 1995) I am modifying this system as follows: New characters will receive bonus experience points for every stat point they don't use, regardless of which character generation method they use. The number of experience points received per stat point is equal to the MPX divided by 550. (For example, a character with all 13s [690 stat pts], starting at the time when the lowest player XP was 19000 points would start with an extra (829 - 690) * 19000/550 = 4802 experience points, for a starting total of 23802xp. A fighter with 12 STR & DEX and all 8s otherwise [410 stat pts] would start with a total of 33,475xp in the same situation).

Note that it's possible to generate a character worth more than 829 points using either of the first two methods (in fact, it's happened at least once). There is no experience point penalty for this.

Go Home