It's been very nearly a year since my last game of AD&D. One full year without rolling a die! How depressing... Guess I'll cheer myself up by doing a little solo gaming and creating an adventuring party! Let's assume that I'm running a hypothetical game for my friends Steve, Nick, Tom, Jeff, Bruce, and Vinnie. I've run each of them for years through various adventures. I'm well aware of their tastes and preferences and can make a cohesive party using the choices I know they would make. We're all veterans of the game, but some of them never played in 1st edition. This will be a fun thought experiment as I get to imagine how my friends would create a party of characters from scratch.
STEP 1: Come up with a Party Theme or Common Goal
It's easy to just roll everything randomly, but I find that a good group starts out with some sort of theme or general goal that allows the players to form relationships before play begins. For example, the characters in my 2nd edition Greyhawk campaign were all from the Greyhawk City region and everyone decided to play Lawful Good characters! We ended up with a human cleric of St. Cuthbert, a ranger of the Gnarley Wood, a dwarven fighter from the Abbor Alz, and a gnome cleric/illusionist of Garl Glittergold. We had a fun time getting these characters leveled before converting to 3rd edition.
We don't know yet how to tie the characters together (or even what they are going to be) so we'll skip this step for now and circle back later when there's more information. If one player is dead set on playing a paladin, however, it's pretty obvious that assassins are ruled out (and vice versa). At this stage it's a good idea to get the players talking about what they like to play, what they don't like, and who wants to begin the game knowing either someone else in the party or who wants to be the outsider/loner of the group. Again, talking this over before the dice are even rolled will prevent arguments and bad feelings if the party decides something that one player doesn't like. It's hard to accommodate all preferences in a large group, but most players are flexible and will join in as long as an idea sounds like it could be fun.
At this time, the DM (me) also needs to come up with a rolling method to use in character creation. It's suggested they run "old skool" and try 3d6-straight, but the players are not having it! So, the DM concedes and asks them if Method I from the DMG is more amenable (4d6 drop the lowest, arrange as desired). Everyone is on board with this. One snarky player asks about the Unearthed Arcana methods, but everyone else shoots this down as too overpowered for their tastes.
STEP 2: Rolling Ability Scores
Now to the meat and potatoes of character development! Everyone rolls for their ability scores and gets the following scores:
Steve: 14, 15, 12, 9, 15, 13
Nick: 7, 11, 11, 12, 12, 16
Tom: 10, 13, 15, 14, 8, 12
Bruce: 15, 13, 13, 15, 15, 10
Jeff: 15, 15, 11, 13, 14, 14
Vinnie: 12, 11, 13, 13, 14, 14
The Players Handbook states that the characters should have at least 2 scores in the 15+ range, and no more than one very low stat. The only character with a low score is Nick's, who also has only one score in the 15+ range. Vinnie has no scores in the 15+ range, but they are not very low either. Tom's stats are borderline, since he has a stat at 14. The DM asks Nick if he's OK with his stats and he agrees to play them as rolled. The others have no problems either.
STEP 3: Decide on Race and Class
Steve likes to play clerics (and elves), but can't in this system since elves can't be clerics as PCs. So he opts to be a half-elf cleric. Since he's a half-elf, he could also multi-class. His first question is "What campaign world are we using?" The DM responds that they'll be running in Greyhawk since he's most familiar with this setting. Steve looks over the list of deities while the others debate among themselves.
Nick only got one score above 15 - the rest of his scores are either average or slightly below. Nick likes playing fighters (and humans), but there's really no advantage to playing a human in 1st edition other than unlimited advancement. He tells the others that he's considering a fighter, but would also be willing to be a magic-user if no one else is going to play one. He'll be human regardless.
Tom looks over his scores and has two pretty good stats. He likes to play characters who are quirky loners so he leans towards being a thief, perhaps a demi-human multiclassed thief.
Bruce rolled some nice scores - he's looking at being a ranger! He asks if he can be a drow ranger... Everyone groans! OK, if not a drow, then how about an elf? Bruce likes elves! The DM explains that only half-elves could be rangers in 1st edition unless using the Unearthed Arcana rules. The DM then asks the others if they have any problems with using Unearthed Arcana rules. No one objects, but one of the players asks if they will make things more complicated. The DM explains the changes - paladins become a cavalier sub-class, and there are other changes to level limits, permitted races, and playable classes. The others begin to seem excited at the prospect, so it's agreed that Unearthed Arcana rules are in. Bruce decides to be a wood elf ranger with a bow.
Suddenly everyone begins to change their minds. Steve could now be an elf as a cleric, so he decides to instead be an elven cleric of Corellon Larethian. Nick looks up Barbarian and finds that he just doesn't have the stats for it. Tom is looking at possibly running a deep gnome fighter/thief.... What have I done?!?
Jeff has been sitting quietly looking over his stats. He likes to play magic-users, and prefers playing gnomes. He looks over the illusionist and finds that he doesn't meet the requirements (needs a 16 score for his Dexterity). He decides instead to be a half-elven magic-user. Since the Unearthed Arcana rules are in play, and he's a single-classed character, he'll be able to increase his level limit from 6th to 8th.
Lastly Vinnie opts to go for a fighter. He likes to play humans, but decides instead on a half-orc since no one in the party has declared a dwarf yet. Half-orc fighters get some nice stat adjustments, and he can be as crude as he wants to be. A consummate role-player, he intends on coming up with a convoluted background and pre-game history that will make his half-orc fighter a memorable character.
Once all the players have decided on their final character selections, the party seems to consist of the following (final stats are modified for race):
Steve - CG high elven cleric of Corellon; S 15, I 9, W 15, D 15, C 11, Ch 13
Nick - CN human fighter; S 16, I 11, W 7, D 12, C 12, Ch 11
Tom - NG deep gnome fighter/thief; S 14, I 10, W 12, D 15, C 13, Ch 8
Bruce - CG wood elf ranger; S 14, I 14, W 15, D 13, C 15, Ch 10
Jeff - NG half-elf magic-user; S 11, I 15, W 14, D 15, C 13, Ch 14
Vinnie - N half-orc fighter; S 15, I 11, W 13, D 13, C 15, Ch 10
STEP 4: Noting Abilities and Generating Spells
The DM looks over the characters making sure that everyone adjusted everything correctly and met all the requirements for race and class. The end result is a fairly balanced party that is heavy on fighters. The DM then states that everyone will be 1st level and asks them to begin fleshing out their characters. He has them list all their racial abilities and class abilities for 1st level characters. He then sits down with the magic-user to generate his spell book: read magic (automatic), shocking grasp, ventriloquism, and erase. Not the most stellar assortment of spells ever, but manageable.
Everyone but the human fighter has infravision, so a light source will still have to be purchased.
STEP 5: Rolling Hit Points and Generating Funds
It's time to roll for hit points! Yes, that's right, ROLL for hit points. No one has a Constitution modifier except for the half-orc fighter and the wood elf ranger.
(Steve) Cleric (1d8) = 7 hp
(Nick) Fighter (1d10) = 4 hp
(Tom) Fighter/Thief (average of 1d10 and 1d6) = (7+1)/2 = 4 hp
(Bruce) Ranger (2d8+1) = (5+1)+(8+1) = 15 hp
(Jeff) Magic-user (1d4) = 2 hp
(Vinnie) Fighter (1d10+1) = 3 hp
Vinnie and Jeff both laugh out loud at their rolls. Nick is disappointed in his roll and doesn't see the character actually surviving for very long. Bruce is pleased with his rolls as he has the highest total in the party! Steve rolled decently as well. The party will have to be very careful in the beginning, and hopefully they can afford some nice armor!
Speaking of affording armor, it's time to roll for starting money:
(Steve) Cleric (3d6 x 10 gp) = 100 gp
(Nick) Fighter (5d4 x 10 gp) = 70 gp
(Tom) Fighter/Thief (average of 5d4 and 2d6 x 10) = (17+7)/2 x 10 gp = 120 gp
(Bruce) Ranger (5d4 x 10 gp) = 140 gp
(Jeff) Magic-user (2d4 x 10 gp) = 50 gp
(Vinnie) Fighter (5d4 x 10 gp) = 120 gp
STEP 6: Weapons, Armor, Gear, and Armor Class
Nick groans as his feeble starting gold amount means that he won't have much to spend on good armor or heavy weapons. He sighs and looks at what he can afford. He opts for ring mail and a small wooden shield giving him an AC 6. Steve goes for scale mail and large shield for an AC of 5. Tom buys leather and his Dex modifies this to an AC 7. Bruce buys chain mail for an AC 5. Jeff's magic-user can't wear armor, so his AC is a 9 with his Dex modifier. Vinnie goes for studded leather and small shield for an AC of 6.
Since Bruce's concept was for an archer-type, he looks over the bow prices and settles on a short bow with a quiver of 12 arrows. He also buys a long sword since elves have bonuses with both bows and swords. Nick can't spend too much, so he's going for hand axe as his weapon of choice, but he's also going to specialize in that weapon so he can get multiple attacks at an earlier level. It will also grant him +1 to hit and +2 to damage with the specialized weapon. Bruce and Vinnie could have their characters specialize also, but if the ranger is specialized in the bow he can't know any other weapons! Bruce opts to not specialize in the bow, but Vinnie wants to double specialize in his weapon of choice - the horseman's flail! This will grant him +3 to hit and +3 to damage in addition to the extra attacks. Steve buys a footman's mace and a staff. Tom buys a horseman's military pick, dagger and bunch of darts. Jeff opts for a simple dagger.
Normal equipment is purchased and weapons of proficiency are noted for all the characters.
STEP 7: Finalizing and Naming the Character
The DM mentions that it would be best to come up with some short name to be known by for now and develop the backstory of the character later as 1st-level characters have a very low survival rate. Characters select any languages they can know due to high Intelligence. Jeff and Bruce decide to make their characters female at the last minute. Finally, names are assigned:
Olvaron (Steve), high elven acolyte of Corellon (cleric 1)
Bosco (Nick), human veteran (fighter 1)
Vordrin (Tom), deep gnome veteran/rogue (fighter 1/thief 1)
L'ardrielle (Bruce), wood elven runner (ranger 1)
Palanna (Jeff), half-elven prestidigitator (magic-user 1)
Kor-Vek (Vinnie), half-orc veteran (fighter 1)
The characters are told that they are all meeting in the small village of Plunket on the northern edge of the March of Bissel, not far from the keep of Thornward. The region is having trouble with Kettite bandits raiding from the north. There is an old abandoned tower in the Bramblewood Forest that may be the lair of the bandits. Some rumors of orcs in the region and the possible lair of an ogre are also gained. They are also told to beware of dakon (intelligent apes) in the woods. With this information the characters can now be linked with each other.
Since the adventure is taking place not far from the Hellfurnaces, Vordrin the deep gnome could be a visitor from the underworld sent to establish connections with the surface as a fighting scout. Olvaron and Palanna are related in some manner, either as cousins or half-siblings. Kor-Vek met and befriended Bosco on his travels and the two are now a mercenary team looking for work. L'ardrielle was sent to hunt humanoid raiders at the border, and her knowledge of the Bramblewood will help the party in their adventure. The group likely met in Thornward and were hired by the lord of the land to deal with the raiding humanoids and bandits in the region. In return he offers a bounty of 500 gp to the party that can prove they have dealt with the problems there. The village they begin in has suffered raids in the past few days and needs to be defended. The village alderman wants the raids to stop and is sending the party into the Bramblewood in the hopes that they find the lair of the bandits and end the threat.
From here on in, the characters will be dealt with by character name only. The party elects Palanna as the group leader (caller), while L'ardrielle will be the outdoor (hex paper) mapper and Olvaron will be the indoor (graph paper) mapper. The party decides to pool whatever gold they have left in order to properly outfit themselves and buy a mule with pack saddle and saddle bags to haul out any treasure and keep them from becoming encumbered. Bosco is tasked with handling the mule and keeping track of the inventory. Palanna will be providing the light source (as needed) since she was the only character that could afford a lantern and oil. She'll also need the light to read her spell book when preparing spells. No one has enough money left to hire on henchmen or hirelings.
So that's it! The party is assembled, fully developed to the extent that it can be, and the DM has introduced them to the scenario. Next time we can see how the party faces off against their first encounter!
NOTE: I had to edit this post since the ranger's stats were calculated erroneously! The character did not meet the minimums with the first arrangement, so I had to rearrange a few scores. The end result is a not as strong, not as dextrous elf as Bruce would have wanted, but the character was not meeting the requirements for Wis and Con previously. Now the character is correct, and Bruce would have had to accept the adjustments - I believe he would have kept the character concept the same (he still gets +1 to hit with sword and bow being an elf).
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