Creating a Party on the Spur of the Moment
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There are times -- often if you attend
many conventions -- when you will
have a group of players desiring to adventure
in your campaign who have
no suitable characters with which to do
so. You might want only low,
medium or high level characters far the
particular scenario you have in
mind, and regardless of level it is certain
that you will not {wish} to hav
ultra-powerful (considering character
level) or strange magic items in the
group. It therefore becomes necessary
to have the party generate special
characters on the spot, and this takes
up valuable playing time. In order to
reduce this to a minimum, the fallowing
system, one which I have
developed perforce from DMing many conventions,
is suggested:
Abilities: Players roll 4d6, discard
the low die, and arrange the scores as
they like.
Race & Class: After generating
ability stats, each player selects the race
and class of his or her character as desired,
making adjustments accordingly.
Alignment: Make certain that the
alignments allowed to participants are
not so diverse as to cause a breakdown
in the game due to player quarrels.
You may require players to select from
two or three compatible alignment
types if you think best -- such as neutral,
neutral good, and lawful neutral,
for example.
Level: For low level, you might
use random dice to find out if players are levels 1-2, 1-3, 2-4;
medium range might be 5-7, 5-8,o r 7-9;
upper range is typically 8-10, 8-11 ,
or 9-12.
Multi-class races are best handled
by adding 1 level per profession to the level generated,
and then dividing the total by the number
of classes involved, counting all fractions as whole numbers.
Standard Equipment: Assuming that
these are not 1st level characters you
will probobly find it best to allow them
to take whatever is desired,
reminding them that they can only carry
so much, and then quickly
checking the character sheets before the
start of the adventure. Whatever
restrictions you decide to place upon
standard items is, of course, your own
business. Technologically impossible items,
and items that you deem unlikely
to be used can always be refused to the
party.
Magic Items:
If the party is assumed to have been adventuring for some
time, however brief, then it i s probable
that one or more of their number
would have acquired certain magic items.
In order to reflect this likelihood,
use the following tables for the various
classes of adventurers, as
applicable to your group:
<finish UA classes, make OA table>
PROTECTIVE ITEMS TABLE
Per Level Chance For Shield, Armor, Etc. (Typically +1)
| Character Class | Shield | Plate | Banded | Chain | Leather | Ring of Protection | Bracers* |
| CAVALIER | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Paladin | 10% | 6%** | 8%** | 10%** | - | - | - |
| CLERIC | 10% | 5%** | 6%** | 8%** | - | 2% | - |
| Druid | - | - | - | - | 8% | 5% | - |
| FIGHTER | 10% | 6%** | 8%** | 10%** | - | - | - |
| Barbarian | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ranger | 8% | 5%** | 7%** | 15%** | - | - | - |
| MAGIC-USER | - | - | - | - | - | 15% | 4% |
| Illusionist | - | - | - | - | - | 15% | 4% |
| THIEF | - | - | - | - | 10% | 4% | - |
| Assassin | 8% | - | - | - | 10% | 3% | - |
* Bracers of AC6 value
** Only one sort of armor may be tried
for,
so the character must make a decision
as to what type before the odds are computed and the percentile dice are
rolled.
Multiply level by percentage chance to
determine odds; then roll percentile dice,
and if the score is equal to or less than
the percentage chance, the character has the item.
There is a 1 % chance per level of experience
of the character that any item will be above average -- +2, or bracers
of AC 5, for example.
If the chance for having the item was
greater than 90%, add the percentage above 90% to the chance for the item
to be above average.
If the resulting roll indicates an above-average
item, then see if it goes up to +3, or bracers of AC 4, on a straight 1%
per level of experience chance.
Example:
Gonzo the 9th level ranger discovers that he has magic chain mail, having
opted to take a sure thing with a 135% chance.
Gonzo's
level (9) plus the percentage chance above 90% (45%) are added together
to find the chance for + 2 chain - 9% + 45% = 54%.
Percentile
dice are rolled, and the result is 51, so Gonzo has at least +2 chain.
A third
check is made, and it is discovered that he has just +2 as the dice roll
was 99.
Chances for +2 or +3 weapons are the same
as for protective items.
You may alternately give special features
to swords instead of further pluses, i.e., + 1 sword Flame Tongue, or +2
sword, Giant Slayer.
Add a crossbow of speed to +2 bolts if
o +3 is indicated, otherwise double their number only.
WEAPONS TABLE
Per Level Chance For Weapon (Typically +1)
| Character Class | Dagger | Sword* | Mace | Battle Axe | Spear | Bow | 15 Bolts +2 |
| CAVALIER | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Paladin | 10% | 10%** | - | 10%** | 10%** | - | - |
| CLERIC | - | - | 12% | - | - | - | - |
| Druid | 10% | 7% | - | - | 10% | - | - |
| FIGHTER | 10% | 10%**, *** | - | 7%** | 8%** | 1% | 10%** |
| Barbarian | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ranger | 10% | 9%** | - | 9%** | 8%** | 5% | 10%** |
| MAGIC-USER | 15% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Illusionist | 15% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| THIEF | 12% | 11% | - | - | - | - | - |
| Assassin | 10% | 5%** | 5%** | 5%** | 5%** | - | 1% |
| MONK | 5% | - | - | - | 2% | - | - |
* Scimitar in the case of druids; short swords for characters less than 5' tall, long swords in all other cases, except the character may opt for a short sword if desired.
**As with protective items, only one category
of weapons of this type may be had, so before finding odds the player must
state which his or her character
wishes to go for.
*** 10% of all magical scimitars are khopeshs.
SCROLLS TABLE
Type of Scroll (And Spell Level)
| Character Class | Per Level Chance
of Having Scroll |
Protection (1-85 = A61-100) (86-00 = B1-100) | 1 Spell* | 3 Spells** |
| CAVALIER | - | - | - | - |
| Paladin | 4% | yes | - | - |
| CLERIC | 8% | no | 1-3 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) | 1-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) |
| Druid | 7% | yes | 1-3 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) | 1-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) |
| FIGHTER | 6% | yes | - | - |
| Barbarian | - | - | - | - |
| Ranger | 5% | yes | - | - |
| MAGIC-USER | 15% | no | 1-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) | 1-6 (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th) |
| Illusionist | 12% | no | 1-3 | 1-4 |
| THIEF*** | 6% | yes | 1-3 | 1-4 |
| Assassin*** | 3% | yes | 1-3 | - |
* Determine randomly, but only normally useful spells for the sort of adventure undertaken.
** Normally given only if no other types of scrolls ore in the possession of the character; otherwise as above.
*** Only one scroll type available. If spell scroll, they will be magic-user spells; otherwise as above.
POTIONS TABLE
| Character Class | Per Level Chance
For Having Potion |
Maximum No.
Of Potions |
Possible Potion Types |
| CAVALIER | - | - | 1. Climbing |
| Paladin | 6% | 1 | 2. Diminution |
| CLERIC | 6% | 1 | 3. Extra-Healing |
| Druid | 11% | 2 | 4. Fire Resistance |
| FIGHTER | 8% | 1 | 5. Flying |
| Barbarian | - | - | 6. Gaseous Form |
| Ranger | 7% | 1 | 7. Growth |
| MAGIC-USER | 10% | 3 | 8. Healing |
| Illusionist | 10% | 2 | 9. Invisibility |
| THIEF*** | 9% | 2 | 0. Polymorph Self |
| Assassin*** | 5% | 1 | - |
You may allow characters to have whatever
poitin(s) suit them, or you
can dice to find them at random. Any character
with a score of 100% or
more for having a potion MUST be allowed
to select their own, as this
reflects the fact that such characters
would have supplies of them available
to choose from.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
If the party is generally above 5th level
and going into a hazardous area,
or if the party is generally above 8th
level, then you might determine it advantageous
to award from one to four miscellaneous
items according to
the following list. Large groups are less
likely to need such items. Higher
level characters are more likely t o have
them despite numbers. Selection
can be by you or by the party, as you
deem best. You may add or delete
items as desired, but remember that those
shown are chosen to maintain a
low key of power.
1. Feather falling ring
2. Warmth ring
3. Water walking ring
4. Wand of negation
5. Wand of wonder
6. Bag of holding (500 pound capacity)
7. Boat, folding (small rowboat)
8. Brooch ofshielding
9. Cloak and boots of elvenkind
10. Javelin of lightning, pair
1 1 . Javelin of piercing, pair
12. Necklace of adaptation
13. Robe of useful items - SEE BELOW
14. Rope of climbing
15. Trident of warning
16. Wings of flying or boots of levitation
Items On A Robe Of Useful Items (Select 7-12)
BONFIRE, small
CASK, 1-3 = water, 4-5 = wine, 6 = brandy
(3 gallon capacity)
CALTROPS, six
CROWBAR, 4’ tempered iron
DAGGER, silver
DOG, WAR
DOOR, standard size, oak with iron bindings
and bar
GEM, 100 gold piece value
LADDER, 12’ long
LANTERN, bullseye
MALLET & STAKES
MEAT, haunch of roast mutton, venison,
etc.
MONEY, stack of 50 silver coins
MULE, pack
OAK TREE, 30 high, large
OWL, GIANT
PICK, standard digging
POLE, 10’
ROOSTER
ROPE, 50’ coil
SHOVEL
TORCH, flaming
WASP NEST, normal, about 200 wasps
When you are thoroughly familiar with this
system, you will be able to
ready a party of players for an adventure
with a minimum amount of time
and effort on your part, and do so with
relative assurance that they will be
about right for the area they will adventure
in.
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