Making a Character

Building a character takes about as long as a good meal. Do it in order — each step builds on the last, and skipping ahead makes you redo work. You will end up with a filled-in character sheet: numbers, proficiencies, spells if you cast them, and a person with a name and a history.

Step 1 — Ability scores

Roll 4d6 and drop the lowest die, six times. This is the classic method; the table's referee may use another (rolled in order, a best-of, a point budget — all are valid). Assign the six results to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma however you like. These are the raw clay of your hero.

Step 2 — Race

Choose your race from the Races compendium. Each race carries ability adjustments, special traits like infravision or resistances, languages, movement, and limits on how far it can advance in each class. Some combinations are forbidden; most are open. A dwarf makes a natural fighter or cleric; an elf leans toward the bow and the spellbook; a halfling is a born thief. But the rules describe tendencies, not cages.

Step 3 — Class

Choose your class from the Classes compendium. The classes fall into four broad groups:

• Warriors — Fighter, Ranger, Paladin. The d10 hit die, the best armour, the surest blade.
• Priests — Cleric, Druid. The d8 hit die, divine magic, healing and sanctuary.
• Wizards — Mage, Illusionist, and the specialist schools. The d4 hit die, fragile but able to rewrite the world.
• Rogues — Thief, Bard. The d6 hit die, skill and cunning over raw force.

Your class sets your hit dice, your combat skill (shown as a THAC0 progression), your saving throws, your proficiency slots, and — for casters — how you learn and use spells. Each class lists a prime requisite, the ability score central to its work, because high scores there earn you bonus experience.

Step 4 — Hit points and combat numbers

Your hit points at first level are the maximum of your class hit die plus your Constitution bonus: a warrior starts with 10 + Con, a priest 8 + Con, a rogue 6 + Con, a wizard 4 + Con. Record your THAC0 (at first level, 20 for everyone — the d20 roll needed to hit an unarmoured foe), your Armour Class, and your saving throws, all listed by class and level.

Step 5 — Gold and gear

Roll your class's starting money. Warriors roll the most, wizards the least: warriors 5d4 × 10 gp, priests 3d6 × 10 gp, thieves and bards 2d6 × 10 gp, wizards (1d4+1) × 10 gp. Spend it in the Equipment and Weapons compendia. Every adventurer needs a weapon, armour at least worth wearing, a backpack, rations, rope, and a light source. A torch is cheaper than a tomb.

Step 6 & 7 — Proficiencies

Choose your weapon proficiencies — the weapons your hero is trained to fight with — and your non-weapon proficiencies, the skills of daily life: riding, swimming, survival, languages, tinkering, and a hundred trades. Your class tells you how many slots of each you start with. Warriors get the most weapon slots; everyone else leans on non-weapon skills.

Step 8 — Spells (if you cast them)

A wizard begins with Read Magic plus a handful of other spells from the Spells compendium, written into a spellbook. A priest chooses spells at dawn by prayer, drawing on the spheres their god grants. Pick a few that do different things — a combat spell, a utility, something for bad days.

Step 9 — The person

Choose your alignment — not a cage, but a compass: the stance your soul takes on law and chaos, good and evil. Determine your languages from your Intelligence. Roll or choose your age, height, and weight. Write two or three sentences of background — where you came from, what drives you, the scar or memento you do not talk about.

Step 10 — The name

A hero needs a name you will answer to across a whole campaign. The one you pick will be shouted in dungeon halls and whispered in taverns. Make it one you love saying.

Multi-class and dual-class

Demihumans (elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings) may multi-class: train in two classes at once, splitting experience evenly and averaging hit dice — an elf fighter-mage, a dwarf fighter-cleric. Humans may dual-class: master one class, then abandon it to start another at first level, regaining the old powers only once the new class outgrows the old. These choices make for the richest, most demanding hero in the game — take them with your eyes open.

The checklist

Before you sit down to play: ability scores assigned, race and class compatible, hit points right, THAC0 and AC and saves recorded, gear bought and paid for, proficiencies chosen, spells selected, alignment and background written, name spoken aloud once. Then the world is yours.