Last month, I talked about how the video game Rogue Legacy reminded me of old-school D&D's first-level meat grinder, about how character death is a part of both games, albeit in different ways. I was always puzzled that a game with such lethal early levels - and thus, such frequent character creation - would have a relatively clunky, time-consuming, un-streamlined character creation. Of course, we are talking about the early days of our hobby: Just because the Model-T didn't come in a hybrid or all-electric configuration doesn't make it any less incredible or foundational.

I proposed a streamlined system that could create a fully functional character with no more than 7 die rolls - the same number it takes to roll Ability Scores and first level Hit Die - and could be done in under a minute, not including the time it takes to write the results down.

So this month, I'm presenting my first (partial) draft of such a system. I'm using Red Box D&D rather than OD&D, because I'm more familiar with it, and because I think most readers will be more familiar with it. Let's begin.

Step 1: Roll for class, or choose class

• 1-3 Fighter
• 4-6 Thief
• 7-9 Cleric
• 10-12 Magic User
• 13-15 Halfling
• 16-18 Dwarf
• 19-20 Elf (less common in part because they take 4,000 XP to reach level 2)

Note: You start with 13 (+1 bonus) in your class's Prime Requisite and 10 in all other Ability Scores.

Step 2: Roll you class's hit die. You never get to choose your hit points.

Step 3: Roll 1d4-1 for the number of traits you want, or choose a number of traits between 0 and 3. You may choose the number of traits, but not the specific traits. You must roll, because some traits are positive and some are negative.

Roll your first Trait on your class's Class-Specific Trait Table. Roll your second Trait, if applicable, on the General Trait Table. Roll your third Trait, if applicable, on either of the tables (your choice).

General Trait Table

1. Increase Intelligence by +3, to a max of 18
2. Increase Wisdom by +3, to a max of 18
3. Increase Charisma by +3, to a max of 18
4. Increase Constitution by +3, to a max of 18
5. Increase Dexterity by +3, to a max of 18
6. Increase Strength by +3, to a max of 18
7. Decrease Intelligence by -3, to a minimum of 3
8. Decrease Wisdom by -3, to a minimum of 3
9. Decrease Charisma by -3, to a minimum of 3
10. Decrease Constitution by -3, to a minimum of 3
11. Decrease Dexterity by -3, to a minimum of 3
12. Decrease Strength by -3, to a minimum of 3
13. Reroll your class hit die. If the result is higher than your current hit points, that becomes your new starting hit points.
14. Reroll your class hit die. If the result is lower than your current hit points, that becomes your new starting hit points.
15. Speak and read an additional language
16. Ambidextrous
17. Peacemaker +1 on reaction rolls
18. Troublemaker -1 on reaction rolls
19. Animal Lover +2 on reaction rolls, but only from animals (not monsters or people)
20. Color blind. You cannot see colors. If you roll this twice, you gain nightvision 60 feet. If you already have night vision, reroll the second roll.

Magic User Class Trait Table

1. Increase Intelligence by +3, to a maximum of 18
2. Decrease Intelligence by -3, to a minimum of 3
3. One additional Spell known at character creation
4. One additional language spoken
5. Spells last 1 (turn or round) longer than they usually do. Instant/damage spells are not affected
6. Damage spells do +1 damage
7. You can use one out-of-class weapon
8. Speak 1 fewer languages than usual
9. You suffer a -1 (-5%) penalty to reading/identifying/copying scrolls
10. Magic sense - you get a general sense of when magic is near (possibly a special type of headache or sneezing), but you can't tell exactly where it's coming from. This is not a substitute for detect magic.

Fighter Trait Table

1. Increase Strength by +3, to a maximum of 18
2. Decrease Strength by -3, to a minimum of 3
3. Gain two additional hit points at character creation
4. Berserker Rage: in exchange for 1/4th your current hit points, you can make a second attack in a single combat round, with no penalty.
5. Intimidation: when enemies make morale checks, they suffer a -1 penalty
6. Your Melee attacks do +1 damage
7. Your Missile attacks have +1 to hit
8. You suffer -1 to all saving throws
9. Combat Sense: in exchange for 1/4th your current hit points, you can remove a "surprised" result against your party
10. You gain 1 additional AC bonus when using a shield

Step 4: Roll for your equipment on the appropriate class's equipment table.

Fighter Equipment Table

1. One-handed weapon, shield, and dagger, adventuring pack (torches, rations, flint and steel, rope, spikes, hammer, etc.), chain armor, 20 gp remaining
2. Two handed weapon and dagger, adventuring pack, chain armor, 30 gp remaining
3. Two one-handed weapons and dagger, adventuring pack, chain armor, 10 gp remaining
4. One-handed weapon, shield, and dagger, adventuring pack (torches, rations, flint and steel, rope, spikes, hammer, etc.), plate armor, bow and 2 quivers of arrows, 10 gp remaining
5. Two handed weapon and dagger, adventuring pack, plate armor, bow and 2 quivers of arrows, 20 gp remaining
6. Two one-handed weapons and dagger, adventuring pack, plate armor, bow and 2 quivers of arrows, 5 gp remaining
7. One-handed weapon, shield, and dagger, adventuring pack (torches, rations, flint and steel, rope, spikes, hammer, etc.), plate armor, 40 gp remaining
8. Two handed weapon and dagger, adventuring pack, plate armor, 30 gp remaining
9. Two one-handed weapons and dagger, adventuring pack, plate armor, 30 gp remaining
10. One-handed weapon, shield, and dagger, adventuring pack (torches, rations, flint and steel, rope, spikes, hammer, etc.), plate armor, bow and 2 quivers of arrows, silver dagger, lantern and 3 flasks of oil, 5 silver arrows, 10 gp remaining

Note: "bow" means the player's choice of shortbow, longbow, or crossbow

So, using these charts to create a character.

1. We'll roll 1d20 for class and get ... 1, a fighter. The Fighter will start with a 13 (+1) in Strength, the class prerequisite.
2. Then we'll roll 1d8, the fighter's class hit die, getting 5.
3. Then we'll roll 1d4-1 for the number of traits, and get 3.
4. The first trait is rolled on the appropriate class table, so we'll roll 1d10 for the first trait on the Fighter Class Trait Table. We get 5: Intimidation: Your enemies' morale checks suffer a -1 penalty.
5. The second trait is rolled on the General Trait Table. We'll roll 1d20 and get 20: Color blind.
6. The player chooses which table to roll the third trait on, if there is a third trait. We'll choose the Fighter Class table. Rolling 1d10, we get 9: Combat Sense. In exchange for 1/4th of current hit points, you may remove a "surprised" result from the party.
7. The player then rolls 1d10 for equipment on the Fighter Class Equipment table, getting 5, which is "Two handed weapon and dagger, adventuring pack, plate armor, bow and 2 quivers of arrows, 20 gp remaining."

And there you go. The character is created in the same number of die rolls it took to roll Ability Scores and Hit Die, but with additional abilities, class decided by the dice (it can be decided by the player), and all equipment ready.