Hey all,
So my next article submission to Crawl! is going to be a set of tables for randomly determining PC and NPC height, weight, hair color, eye color, and notable features, in time-honoured tradition.
As I'd like to make it useful for as many folks as possible, I was wondering what folk's takes on these elements for dwarves, elves, and halflings is? The DCC RPG mentions halflings being 2-4-ft. tall and no more than 70 lbs. and seems very much in the vein of JRRT's original concept. My gut feeling is that, at least in terms of appearance, the dwarves and elves of the DCC RPG should owe more to JRRT's work than D&D (what with it having elves being shorter than human and with sometimes odd hair and eye colours).
So, do folks feel this is a better route to take (elves, f'rinstance being human height or taller)? Do people feel that the baseline DCC take on the races should favour certain hair/eye colours more than others (such as dwarves tending more to darker hair)?
Basically, if I can get a better idea as to what folks are imagining (or what they think the races should look like in baseline DCC), I can try to ensure the tables reflect that a bit more.
Colin
Input on article: Random Hair/Eye Colour, Random Ht + Wt
Moderators: DJ LaBoss, michaelcurtis, finarvyn, Harley Stroh
Re: Input on article: Random Hair/Eye Colour, Random Ht + Wt
How about making the height and weight tables a percentage (either above or below) of the "average" height / weight? For example, a random roll might be "-5% taller" or "+30% heavier" than average. That way, each campaign could use its own version of the races.
Re: Input on article: Random Hair/Eye Colour, Random Ht + Wt
Nice idea; I think I'll go that route, thanks. I can also add tables to determine types of physical build (slim, burly, etc.) which modify the rolls for height and weight. I'd still include a baseline vanilla DCC table of averages too.
I've definitely cemented my idea for baseline DCC hair/eye colour. I'll go for JRRT standards as the baseline, in-keeping with Appendix N (so elves are tall, largely dark brown haired with some auburn, blonde, white, and silver-blonde individuals, and eyes primarily grey with some dark brown or blue). This would also move away from D&D's examples a bit and back towards the original inspirations, which is much more in-keeping with DCC's approach.
I think I'll also include random name generation tables. I've created painstakingly-researched documents for Middle Earth such as THIS ONE, and I can take elements of it and break them down into random tables that sound "Middle Earthish" without actually being so.
cheers!
Colin
I've definitely cemented my idea for baseline DCC hair/eye colour. I'll go for JRRT standards as the baseline, in-keeping with Appendix N (so elves are tall, largely dark brown haired with some auburn, blonde, white, and silver-blonde individuals, and eyes primarily grey with some dark brown or blue). This would also move away from D&D's examples a bit and back towards the original inspirations, which is much more in-keeping with DCC's approach.
I think I'll also include random name generation tables. I've created painstakingly-researched documents for Middle Earth such as THIS ONE, and I can take elements of it and break them down into random tables that sound "Middle Earthish" without actually being so.
cheers!
Colin
-
onearmspence
- Far-Sighted Wanderer
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:23 pm
Re: Input on article: Random Hair/Eye Colour, Random Ht + Wt
Moorcock have an awesome approach to elven like races.
Re: Input on article: Random Hair/Eye Colour, Random Ht + Wt
Yeah, Melniboneans were cool (though it was a bit much when our entire teenage all-elf party were albinos).
I'm still tinkering with the actual Build roll itself, but can folks have a play around with this and let me know what they think, please? I'm trying to combine fairly believable results with modifiers due to build, Strength, and Agility. The comparative low average Height and Weight is due to them being based on medieval people, not modern.
Step 1: Determine Baseline
Roll for the character’s Baseline Height and Weight according to race and gender (m or f).
Baseline: Human (m)
Height: 60”+2d6”
Weight: 140+2d10 lbs.
Step 2: Determine Build
Roll 2d6, adding or subtracting twice any modifiers for high or low Strength or Agility. Agility modifiers are applied in reverse (so a high Agility modifier lowers the roll and vice versa). If the character’s build is Average, they do not need to modify their baseline results from Step 1, and the process is finished. Ignore fractions of pounds when making calculations.
Result
0 or less: Small: Ht –10%, Wt –30%
1-3: Slim: Wt –20%
4-9: Average: No changes
10-11: Broad: Wt +30%
12-13: Large: Ht +10%, Wt +50%
14 or more: Huge: Ht +20%, Wt +100%
Example 1: Mardain, a male cleric, has no modifiers for Strength or Agility. The Player rolls Mardain’s baseline Height and Weight, getting 68” (5’8”) and 152 lbs. The Player then rolls for Mardain’s Build, getting a result of 10; Mardain is Broad. This modifies the baseline Weight by 30%, adding 45 lbs for a total Weight of 197 lbs. He’s a stocky fellow of average height.
Example 2: Garth the Mighty, a male warrior, has an impressive +2 Strength modifier, doubled to +4 for purposes of the character’s Build roll. The Player rolls Garth’s baseline Height and Weight of 70” (5’10”) and 160 lbs. The Player then rolls for Garth’s Build, adding the doubled Strength modifier of +4, for a final total of 12: Large. He increases Garth’s Height by 10% to 6’5” and his Weight by 50% to 240 lbs. Garth’s a tall, highly impressive, and clearly strong individual.
Example 3: Slivikin the Rat, a male thief, has a –1 Strength modifier, and +1 Agility modifier. This translates as a –4 modifier on his Build roll (-2 for the doubled Strength modifier and another –2 for the reverse of the doubled Agility modifier. The Player rolls baselines of 65” (5’5”) and 148 lbs. He rolls for Build, subtracting 4, and gets a final number of 3: Slim. Slivikin’s Weight is reduced by 20% to 120 lbs. He’s a slightly short and slender man.
I'm still tinkering with the actual Build roll itself, but can folks have a play around with this and let me know what they think, please? I'm trying to combine fairly believable results with modifiers due to build, Strength, and Agility. The comparative low average Height and Weight is due to them being based on medieval people, not modern.
Step 1: Determine Baseline
Roll for the character’s Baseline Height and Weight according to race and gender (m or f).
Baseline: Human (m)
Height: 60”+2d6”
Weight: 140+2d10 lbs.
Step 2: Determine Build
Roll 2d6, adding or subtracting twice any modifiers for high or low Strength or Agility. Agility modifiers are applied in reverse (so a high Agility modifier lowers the roll and vice versa). If the character’s build is Average, they do not need to modify their baseline results from Step 1, and the process is finished. Ignore fractions of pounds when making calculations.
Result
0 or less: Small: Ht –10%, Wt –30%
1-3: Slim: Wt –20%
4-9: Average: No changes
10-11: Broad: Wt +30%
12-13: Large: Ht +10%, Wt +50%
14 or more: Huge: Ht +20%, Wt +100%
Example 1: Mardain, a male cleric, has no modifiers for Strength or Agility. The Player rolls Mardain’s baseline Height and Weight, getting 68” (5’8”) and 152 lbs. The Player then rolls for Mardain’s Build, getting a result of 10; Mardain is Broad. This modifies the baseline Weight by 30%, adding 45 lbs for a total Weight of 197 lbs. He’s a stocky fellow of average height.
Example 2: Garth the Mighty, a male warrior, has an impressive +2 Strength modifier, doubled to +4 for purposes of the character’s Build roll. The Player rolls Garth’s baseline Height and Weight of 70” (5’10”) and 160 lbs. The Player then rolls for Garth’s Build, adding the doubled Strength modifier of +4, for a final total of 12: Large. He increases Garth’s Height by 10% to 6’5” and his Weight by 50% to 240 lbs. Garth’s a tall, highly impressive, and clearly strong individual.
Example 3: Slivikin the Rat, a male thief, has a –1 Strength modifier, and +1 Agility modifier. This translates as a –4 modifier on his Build roll (-2 for the doubled Strength modifier and another –2 for the reverse of the doubled Agility modifier. The Player rolls baselines of 65” (5’5”) and 148 lbs. He rolls for Build, subtracting 4, and gets a final number of 3: Slim. Slivikin’s Weight is reduced by 20% to 120 lbs. He’s a slightly short and slender man.