Lofgeornost
Feeling Martian!
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Rather than continuing this discussion in the “RPGs: Hall of Shame” thread, I’ve started this new one. It really doesn’t fit in the ‘hall of shame’ since IMO both random and non-random character generation can work perfectly fine, and preference for one or the other is largely a matter of taste.
In that other thread, I opined that requiring random character-generation had become less usual these days and P Paragon quite reasonably challenged me on the issue. That made me wonder and since I had some free time last weekend I looked over some of the games that I own to see how they handled this: 61 games before I ran out of steam, all of them dating to 2000 or later. They are by no means a random or representative sample of all the RPGs out there, since some kinds of games don’t interest me enough to acquire them. So there are relatively few SF games, no supers games, and no PbtA games in the list. On the other hand, I took some pains to sample a variety of kinds of games from my collection and to avoid ones that were largely different editions of each other (so, for instance, I included Mythras but not Mongoose Runequest II). I’ve included the set of games I evaluated below, though I’ve spoilered the list for length.
In my unscientific sample (and looking at the core book only and RAW):
Some other things occur to me, but this is a long post already so I'll leave them for later.
In that other thread, I opined that requiring random character-generation had become less usual these days and P Paragon quite reasonably challenged me on the issue. That made me wonder and since I had some free time last weekend I looked over some of the games that I own to see how they handled this: 61 games before I ran out of steam, all of them dating to 2000 or later. They are by no means a random or representative sample of all the RPGs out there, since some kinds of games don’t interest me enough to acquire them. So there are relatively few SF games, no supers games, and no PbtA games in the list. On the other hand, I took some pains to sample a variety of kinds of games from my collection and to avoid ones that were largely different editions of each other (so, for instance, I included Mythras but not Mongoose Runequest II). I’ve included the set of games I evaluated below, though I’ve spoilered the list for length.
In my unscientific sample (and looking at the core book only and RAW):
- Some 18 games require some random element to create a character. Most of these games fall into the OSR or retro-clone category (DCC, ASSH, LotFP, etc.) though not all. Of the 18, 4 include only one significant random element—for instance, Worlds Without Number and the free D6 system from West End Games both mandate rolling for initial hit or body points, but otherwise don’t require any randomness (and the D6 system in fact does not even offer it as an option).
- Another 12 games include randomization in character generation, but allow players to avoid it if they wish to do so.
- Finally, 26 games rely entirely on player decisions to generate characters, with no random elements.
- There were also 5 games that proved ‘edge cases.’ All of them mandate that players roll dice for at least part of their starting cash or possessions, but otherwise they have no required random elements. Usually the money rolled for is in addition to a base package of equipment that characters get automatically. One of the 5 games, Romance of the Perilous Land, otherwise offers players their choice of random or non-random generation, and the other 4 employed only non-random methods (save for possessions). So figuring these 5 games in, the numbers become 18 games with required random procedures, 13 which offer a choice of random or not, and 30 that have non-random generation only.
Some other things occur to me, but this is a long post already so I'll leave them for later.
Requires Random Elements:
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, 2nd ed. (2017)
Blood & Bronze (2016)
Castles & Crusades (2006)
D6 System, Space & Fantasy (2004)—only body points; otherwise not random
Dee Sanction (2021)—only for ‘favours of the angels’; otherwise can use random or not
Dungeon Crawl Classics (2012)
King Arthur Pendragon, 5.2 ed (2019)
Labyrinth Lord-Free (2008)
Lamentations of the Flame Princess-Free (2013).
Mythras, 3rd Revision (2018)
Nightmares Underneath-Free (2016)
Roma Imperious (Iridium System, 2004)
Swords & Wizardry Complete (2012)
Through Sunken Lands (2020)
Traveller-Mongoose, 1st ed. (2008). Oddly, this is not because of the lifepath system, for which there is a point-buy alternative, but because basic statistics are rolled randomly.
Worlds Without Number-Free (2021)—only hit points; otherwise can use random or not
Würm (2017)—only starting bravery/generosity + age (which has no effect); otherwise not random
Victorious (2016)
Allows Choice of Random or non-Random Generation:
Artesia: Adventures in the Known World (Fuzion, 2005)
Dungeons & Dragons, 5th ed.-Free Basic Version (2015)
Dying Earth (2001)
Lex Arcana (2019)
The One Ring (2014)
OpenQuest, 3rd ed.-SRD (2022)
Paleomythic (2019)
Reign Enchiridion (2010)
Song of Ice & Fire, G.o.T. ed. (2012)
Star Trek Adventures (2017)
A Thousand Suns (2011)
Travelers on a Red Road (2019)
Essentially Choice of Random or non-Random, Except for Required Roll for Extra Cash:
Romance of the Perilous Land (2019)
Entirely Non-Random
Action Core System (2002)
Agon (2006)
All for One: Regime Diabolique (Ubiquity, 2010)
Ars Magica, 5th ed (2004)
Barbarians of Lemuria-Free (2008?)
Burning Wheel, Revised ed. (2005)
Cavaliers of Mars (2018)
The Dark Eye (2016)
Deryni Adventure Game (Fudge, 2005)
Fate Accelerated Edition (2013)
Fulminata: Armed with Lightning, 2nd ed. (2001)
GURPS Vorkosigan Saga, 4th ed-Lite (2009)
Hillfolk (Drama System, 2013)
Honor + Intrigue (2004)
John Carter of Mars (2018)
Keltia (2012)
Mythic Russia (Heroquest, 2006)
Never Going Home (2020)
Night’s Black Agents (Gumshoe, 2012)
PDQ # (2008); the free system for Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies
Qin: The Warring States (2005)
Symbaroum (2019)
Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne (Tri-Stat, 2005)
Savage Worlds Deluxe (2015)
Winter of the World (OneDice, 2017)
Witchcraft (Unisystem, 2000)
Non-Random, Except for a Roll for Starting Possessions:
Forbidden Lands (2019)—the roll is only for extra cash beyond the basic package of possessions
Jackals (2021)—the roll is only for extra cash beyond the basic package of possessions
Under the Moons of Zoon (2011) —the roll is only for extra cash beyond a basic package
Witch Hunter: The Invisible World, 1st ed. (2007)—must roll for cash used to buy essential possessions
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, 2nd ed. (2017)
Blood & Bronze (2016)
Castles & Crusades (2006)
D6 System, Space & Fantasy (2004)—only body points; otherwise not random
Dee Sanction (2021)—only for ‘favours of the angels’; otherwise can use random or not
Dungeon Crawl Classics (2012)
King Arthur Pendragon, 5.2 ed (2019)
Labyrinth Lord-Free (2008)
Lamentations of the Flame Princess-Free (2013).
Mythras, 3rd Revision (2018)
Nightmares Underneath-Free (2016)
Roma Imperious (Iridium System, 2004)
Swords & Wizardry Complete (2012)
Through Sunken Lands (2020)
Traveller-Mongoose, 1st ed. (2008). Oddly, this is not because of the lifepath system, for which there is a point-buy alternative, but because basic statistics are rolled randomly.
Worlds Without Number-Free (2021)—only hit points; otherwise can use random or not
Würm (2017)—only starting bravery/generosity + age (which has no effect); otherwise not random
Victorious (2016)
Allows Choice of Random or non-Random Generation:
Artesia: Adventures in the Known World (Fuzion, 2005)
Dungeons & Dragons, 5th ed.-Free Basic Version (2015)
Dying Earth (2001)
Lex Arcana (2019)
The One Ring (2014)
OpenQuest, 3rd ed.-SRD (2022)
Paleomythic (2019)
Reign Enchiridion (2010)
Song of Ice & Fire, G.o.T. ed. (2012)
Star Trek Adventures (2017)
A Thousand Suns (2011)
Travelers on a Red Road (2019)
Essentially Choice of Random or non-Random, Except for Required Roll for Extra Cash:
Romance of the Perilous Land (2019)
Entirely Non-Random
Action Core System (2002)
Agon (2006)
All for One: Regime Diabolique (Ubiquity, 2010)
Ars Magica, 5th ed (2004)
Barbarians of Lemuria-Free (2008?)
Burning Wheel, Revised ed. (2005)
Cavaliers of Mars (2018)
The Dark Eye (2016)
Deryni Adventure Game (Fudge, 2005)
Fate Accelerated Edition (2013)
Fulminata: Armed with Lightning, 2nd ed. (2001)
GURPS Vorkosigan Saga, 4th ed-Lite (2009)
Hillfolk (Drama System, 2013)
Honor + Intrigue (2004)
John Carter of Mars (2018)
Keltia (2012)
Mythic Russia (Heroquest, 2006)
Never Going Home (2020)
Night’s Black Agents (Gumshoe, 2012)
PDQ # (2008); the free system for Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies
Qin: The Warring States (2005)
Symbaroum (2019)
Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne (Tri-Stat, 2005)
Savage Worlds Deluxe (2015)
Winter of the World (OneDice, 2017)
Witchcraft (Unisystem, 2000)
Non-Random, Except for a Roll for Starting Possessions:
Forbidden Lands (2019)—the roll is only for extra cash beyond the basic package of possessions
Jackals (2021)—the roll is only for extra cash beyond the basic package of possessions
Under the Moons of Zoon (2011) —the roll is only for extra cash beyond a basic package
Witch Hunter: The Invisible World, 1st ed. (2007)—must roll for cash used to buy essential possessions