Making a Knave
A knave takes a fistful of d6s and about five minutes. The full procedure, with the designer's notes, is in @Missing file; here it is in play order.
Step 1 — Roll abilities
You have six abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. For each one, in order, roll 3d6. The lowest die of the three is that ability's bonus; add 10 to get its defense.
Example: you roll 2, 2, and 6 for Strength. The lowest die is 2, so your Strength bonus is +2 and your Strength defense is 12.
After all six are rolled, you may swap the scores of two abilities. Swap with intent:
| Ability | What runs on it |
|---|---|
| Strength | Melee attacks; lifting, bending, breaking |
| Dexterity | Dodging, climbing, sneaking, balancing |
| Constitution | Resisting poison, sickness, cold; healing; your item slots |
| Intelligence | Casting and resisting magic; lore, crafting, tinkering, picking pockets |
| Wisdom | Ranged attacks; tracking, navigating, searching, noticing |
| Charisma | Persuading, deceiving, intimidating; how many hirelings you can keep |
There are no dump stats in Knave — every ability is somebody's bad night.
Step 2 — Roll starting gear
Every knave starts with two days of rations and one weapon of your choice. Then roll your kit: once on @Missing file, once on @Missing file, twice on @Missing file, and once each on @Missing file and @Missing file.
You carry gear in item slots, and you have slots equal to your Constitution defense. Most things fill one slot; armor and heavy weapons fill more. If it doesn't fit, it stays behind.
Step 3 — Roll hit points
Roll 1d8. That is your starting and maximum HP. Yes, really. Your healing rate is 1d8 + Constitution bonus, your exploration speed is 120 feet per exploration turn, and your combat speed is 40 feet per round.
Step 4 — Roll who you are
Roll the rest on the trait tables in the Random Tables folder — physique, face, skin, hair, clothing, virtue, vice, speech, background, misfortune, and alignment — or invent anything you'd rather choose. Pick a name and a gender. Don't get too attached; it's a dangerous world out there.
Or study a finished one
Two sample knaves come with this project: @Missing file, a scrawny ex-beggar who trusts running more than locks, and @Missing file, who clanks. Open either to see what a finished sheet looks like.
One comfort: the sheet does the arithmetic. You record the six bonuses, your HP, and what you carry; defenses, item slots, armor defense, and your exact attack rolls compute themselves.