CHARACTER GENERATION STEP 1 - SPECIES (Patreon)

I'm baaaaaaaack!

So, after an unplanned time away dealing with family shenanigans, I'm back in the driving seat. Given we have somewhat of a fresh start, let's dive into something new: CharGen! ... Yes, I'm too lazy to type out 'Character Generation' - so sue me.

I've mulled the best way to discuss the way we're doing character generation for this game, and eventually plumped for simply listing all the changes we've made to the core rules. So, grab your copy of WFRP4 (and Archives of the Empire II for Ogres, and Rough Nights and Hard Days for Gnomes) and I'll make direct references to those rules with page numbers listed as required.

Character generation has a fair bit to cover, so I'll split this into multiple posts.

First up, Steps 1.

CHARACTERS

This post takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a PC using the LAWhammer house rules. It follows the same steps the rulebook presents (starting on page 24), so should be super easy to follow.

1) SPECIES AND HERITAGE
Summary. Choose one of the six Species and a Heritage.

Our house rules currently offer six playable Species, each of which have a variety of Heritages describing different cultural backgrounds. The official rulebooks cover each of the six species in detail, so I'll not add anything here other than the changes we've made.

Species
PCs come from one of the following 6 species: Human, Dwarf, Halfling, Ogre, Elf, or Gnome.

To determine your PC’s species, using the following steps.

1) Roll 1d100 and consult the Random Species Table.

2) If you like this result and keep it, gain +20 XP.

3) If you don’t like this result, you can change the result to ‘Human’ if it was not already and still gain +20 XP, because you can always play a Human.

4) Alternatively, completely ignore the Random Species Table and just choose your species. Doing this grants no bonus XP.

Example.Lindsay wants to create a new PC. Still unsure what she wants to play, she decides to roll on the Random Species Table. She rolls an impressive 99, an Elf! However, upon reflection, she decides would prefer to play something less esoteric, so instead chooses to play a Human. Because Species Step 3 allows you to always play a Human, regardless of what you roll, she still secures a bonus +20 XP to spend later.

Heritage
Heritage describes you’re PC’s upbringing and culture, and usually determines where your character was born. Each of the species has has its own Random Culture Table. Either roll 1d100 on the table for your species and accept the result, gaining a bonus of +10 XP, or simply choose your heritage but secure no bonus. Heritage affects what Skills and Talents your PC begins with.

Example.Lindsay rolls on the Human (Empire) Heritage table and scores 64, a Reiklander. Liking this, she takes the +10 XP and moves on to Step 2, Career Path.

HUMAN
WFRP4, p25.

All Human PCs are presumed to hail from the Empire, the largest and most powerful of the Human realms of the Old World. The Empire has an array of Grand Provinces, each of which offers your character a different heritage.

OPINIONS
And the extra Opinions...

On Ogres…
‘Not on my town. No, sir. No can do. It ain’t happening. They things is monsters and they eat children! Grab your halberds and drive them out, I say!’
– Willibad Tauber, Village Elder from Pankwahl

On Gnomes…
‘You what? Gnomes? Like from the stories? Don’t be ridiculous, Gnomish bog illusionists are no more real than lizardfolk or fishmen!’
– Albert Ulzmann, Innkeeper from Schmeidorf

DWARF
WFRP4, p25-26.

Dwarf PCs were either born in ‘The Everlasting Realm’, or Karak Ankor, meaning they were raised in one of the ancient Dwarf Holds of old, or they are an expatriate who was born in the Empire, likely a descendant of one of the Clans that lost its ancestral hold long ago. We currently simplify the different Dwarf Holds into a single heritage; this will likely change later.

OPINIONS
And the extra Opinions...

On Ogres…
‘Big bastards with little in the way of brain, manners, or respect. Tend to get on better with Haffen than you might expect, probably because of all the food they offer, so watch for that.’
– Merig Ranvigsdottir, Villager from Azorn-Kalaki 

On Gnomes…
‘The clan records talk of Gnommish folk under the mountain, and the rivalries we once had with them. Like us, they lost everything in the Goblin Wars and their old holds fell. Unlike us, they had no allies, so nowhere to run. Wiped out to a man, they were. A shame, that; our clan still has 17 outstanding grudges against the deceitful eldohz!’
– Ulvanal the Bleak, Loremaster from Bechafen

HALFLING
WFRP4, p26-27.

Halfling PCs our game are presumed to have either been born in the Mootland, a Grand Province ruled by Halflings, or be born elsewhere the Empire, having fully integrated with local society. We may add full Halfling Clan rules later. But, they are not needed just now.

OPINIONS
And the extra Opinions...

On Ogres…
‘Been using ogre labour for last fifty year. Reliable, cheap, and much better than weak human stock. Just keep them filled up with meat – the cheaper the better, they’ll eat anything and like it, also a handy side business – and you’ll never have a problem. And if you forget to feed them? Well, get ready to run.’
– ‘Big Man’ Alyonius Cracklebarrel, Gaffer from Wolfenburg

On Gnomes…
‘Little fenfolk living in the marshes of Middenland? Don’t be bloody ridiculous. If they existed, I would have learned about them long ago!’
– ‘Jammy’ Mercimaus Alderflower II, Scholar from Fielbach

OGRE
AotEII, p15-37, with the addition of the following Heritages.

Ogre PCs in our game were either born in the distant Mountains of Mourn far to the east of the Empire, were raised in the Mootland, or simply wandered in from elsewhere.

The Ogres in our game are largely as described in AotEII. This is perhaps unsurprising given the write-up uses large chunks from the WFRP2 article I wrote about Ogres a bajillion years ago, which is super handy for me.

OPINIONS
I'll include our full set of these from our house rules as I wrote a new bunch for my Ogre page.

On Humans…
‘Not good eating. Too slim. They do when ’ungry, tho. Tend to bring their mates, so good fer a fight, too.’
– Nargutt the Wanderer, Vagabond

On Dwarfs…
‘Tough. Tasty, but tough. Worth huntin’. Test your trackin’ and yer crackin’.’
– Horst the Mancatcher, Bounty Hunter

On Halflings…
‘Make good food. Are good food. Huk, huk, huk!’
– Captain Nat, Mercenary Officer and Explorer

On Elves…
‘Bones make good toof picks. Not sure there’s any meat on them. At least, I never taste none.’
– Zorarth Legbiter, Maneater (and Elfeater!)

On Gnomes…
‘Ain’t eaten one yet. Keep running away! Wot? Nomes ain’t real? Corz they is, slim! I’s seen ’em!’
– Bert, Altdorfer Bouncer

Elf
WFRP4, p27-29.

Elf PCs in our game come from the three primary Kiths presented in the core book: Asrai, Asur, and Eonir. This will likely be expanded significantly to better represent each. But, this does perfectly for just now.

OPINIONS
And the extra Opinions...

On Ogres…
‘Perhaps the lowest if all the creatures I encountered on my travels in the Old World. Uncooth, uneducated, and utterly enslaved to their base desires. Avoid these horrendous things at all costs.’
– Isanrellia Starlighter, Ranger from Avelorn

On Gnomes…
‘I see ill-measured horror, raging orcs, broken promises. I see bitter exile enforced by the foolishness of Teclis, Warden of the White Tower. And I see pain. So much pain. Ah, we must beware the Gnommi, my children. Their revenge will come soon.’
– Algwyllmyr Twiceseen, Seer from Athel Loren

Gnome
RNaHD, p86-90.

Gnome PCs in LAWhammer come from one of the few remaining burrows within the Empire’s borders. For more on the individual burrows, Gnome Settlements.

I wrote a full set of Opinions for the Gnomes in RNaHD (p.86), including Ogres as they were planned for future release, so no need to include them here.

***

And, that's Step 1, done! Largely the same as the corebook but with the different Heritages hard-coded in.

I'll have more CharGen very soon, and a whole slew of other stuff, including a piece by Andy Leask that was written to fill the gap when I was away, but I didn't make it back in time to post it up!

As always, if you have any opinions, suggestions, questions, or have just spotted an error, ping me over on the LAWhammer Discord and let's talk it out.

Chat soon!

Andy Law
(last updated: 16/10/22)