Quick And Dirty Character Creation
Waste World was designed to let you get beneath the hood of the game engine, and design exactly the character you want to play. But--let's face it--sometimes you just don't have the time or the inspiration to come up with a character concept. Sometimes you just can't be bothered to do the math. We know this because we're exactly the same way ourselves. Well, next time this happens to you, just do what we do and use the quick and dirty character creation rules given here.
These rules use dice and templates to give you semi-random characters. The characters they create conform to common Waste World character types but there's a pretty wide variation of abilities depending on how the dice fall. If you get somebody real tough, well and good. If you get somebody who is pathetically weak, them's the breaks, unless you can plead with your Narrator and get them to allow you to reroll.
Characteristics
Normally every character will start with zero in all characteristics. Each template gives you a number of dice to roll on characteristic points. These are points that you can allocate to your PC's characteristics. One characteristic point spent gets you one point in the characteristic of your choice. This is cumulative. You can spend one point and get +1 ST. To move up from there to +2 ST would cost you another two points, so you would spend three points in total to go from ST zero to ST +2.
Some templates have minimums in characteristics. You must spend points to buy the required characteristics to the given level. Some templates may have maximum characteristics. You cannot buy the characteristics given to greater than the maximum.
Your LF will be (STx2)+10. Your MR will be 4+ST. Any characteristic points unspent are lost.
Advantages
This will tell you what advantages your character possesses.
Powers
This will tell you what powers your character possesses. Sometimes you may be asked to roll a die to randomly choose between several options.
Skills
This gives you a number of skills. Roll a d3 to find out how many skill levels you have with each skill. Where one skill is a prerequisite for another these will be linked by a + sign. You make one roll and apply it to all skills linked by the + sign.
Equipment
This tells you what equipment your character is carrying. You get 1d6 reloads for each weapon your character is carrying. In addition, all characters get the following standard equipment:
rebreather mask, set of clothing, and (if human) a survival suit. Every character also gets 1d20x10 credits spending money. This is the ready cash your character is carrying. You cannot spend it buying equipment before entering play.
Disadvantages
This tells you any disadvantages your character might labor under.
Description
This gives you a brief outline of your character's origin and purpose. Feel free to embellish this in any way you like. If you want to customize your character by swapping any skills, powers, equipment etc. on the template for other skills, powers, equipment etc of equal value from the main rulebook, feel free to do so.
The Templates
Cyborg
Characteristics: 1d6
Special Abilities: Hardy
Skills: Dodge, Handgun, Rifle, Shadowing, Streetwise, Survival, Tracking, Unarmed Combat
Equipment: Assault Rifle, Blaster Pistol, Light Ceramic Armor (AR 3), 2 Bionic Arms (ST +3, Right arm contains Retractable Claws), 2 Bionic Legs (ST +2, Super-leap Legs), 1 obvious Bionic Eye (contains IRIS and Targeting Eye).
Disadvantages: Bad Reputation or Dark Secret, Hunted
Description: You were once a normal human being. Then something happened. You may have been horribly injured, requiring extensive bionic reconstruction in order to function again. You may have sought bionic augmentation as a route to personal power. Whatever the reason you are now more machine than man, and you are on the run from somebody.
Hydran
Characteristics: 1d6+1
Special Abilities: Darksight, Fast Healing, Hardy, Lightsleep
Skills: Awareness, Climbing, Dodge, Leadership, Rifle, Stealth, Survival, Unarmed Combat
Equipment: Heavy Carapace Symbsuit (with Claws), Assault Rifle
Disadvantages: Dark Secret, Prejudiced Against, Code of Honor
Description: For centuries, House Valka has bred and genetically altered its members in order to create a genclan of perfect warriors. You are one of those warriors - a posthuman genetic superman, trained from birth in strategy, tactics, and combat skills. For one reason or another, you have left your genclan's Tower and ventured into the wastes of Avernus. Perhaps you seek new challenges, to hone your skills further. Perhaps you committed some crime, and were forced to flee. Whatever the reason you will always remember the heritage you bear, both in your training and in your very being.
Ikarean
Characteristics: 1d6+2
Advantages: Handsome/Beautiful.
Powers: -
Skills: Aerobatics, Ikarean Battlesuit, Courtier, Ancient Lore, Demon Lore, Poison Lore, Appraise Value, Gamble, Fast Talk, Navigator, Thrown Weapons.
Equipment: Ikarean Battlesuit, 5 HEX Grenades, 5 Web Grenades, 5 Plasma Grenades.
Disadvantages: Prejudiced Against, Obsession-Hedonism (Strong).
Description: You are an Ikarean exile, one of the decadent nobility of hte sky city. You are good looking, you are maliciously witty and you like the good things in life. You live only for pleasure. People hate you because of where you are from and are yet attracted to you because of your personal qualities. You seek to find what amusement you can among these downdwelling barbarians. Your prized possession is, of course, your razor-winged battlesuit.
Krok Warrior
Characteristics: 2d6 (Base IN -2)
Special Abilities: Armor (AR 5), Bloodhound Scent, Claws, Fangs, Fast Healing, Hardy, Spiked Tail
Skills: Unarmed Combat, Dodge, Heavy Weapon, Survival
Equipment: Heavy Machine Gun, 10 HEX Grenades
Disadvantages: Hideous, Overconfident
Description: You are a Krok, one of the fierce velociraptor-like Xenogens of Janus. You are not very smart, but you are a born warrior. Your skills are of great use in the wars that are fought across the Wastes, and you enjoy what you do. Best of all are the benefits you receive as a warrior - payment for doing what you love, and all the foes you can eat.
Panzer
Characteristics: 2d6
Advantages: -
Powers: Armor (AR 4).
Skills: Awareness, Blade (Chainsword), Rifle (Railgun).
Equipment: Bionic Eye (Energy Scan, IRIS, Scanner, Targeting, Telescopic), Chainsword, Railgun, Medium Ceramic Sheath Armor (AR 10 with Armor Power).
Disadvantages: Positronic Brain, Robotic Body.
Description: You are a Panzer, a killer robot, designed to make war on the enemies of your creators. You could be a renegade Promethean warbot, or perhaps you are the survivor of some ancient wars. In any case, you are a formidable foe.
Psycher
Characteristics: 1d6, Minimum PW +1.
Advantages: -
Powers: Psycher, Psionic Blast +3, Psionic Shield +3, Telepathy +3.
Skills: Ancient Lore, Lore (Your Choice), Handgun (Autopistol).
Equipment: Autopistol, Dagger, Light Ceramic Armor (AR 3), Psi Shield (Protection 3).
Disadvantages: Prejudiced Against, Paranoia (Strong).
Description: You are a psycher, a person who wields powers unattainable by normal mortals, and who is feared and hated because of it. A lifetime of such hatred has taught you to be cautious, perhaps too cautious. Maybe this is the beginning of the madness that is said to afflict all psychers.
Ronin
Characteristics: 2d6.
Advantages: Ambidextrous.
Powers: -
Skills:Blade (Sword)+Forceblade, Unarmed Combat (Brawling)+Martial Arts, Quick Draw (Forceblade),
Ride (Skimmerbike), Handgun (Blaster Pistol), Courtier, Survival.
Equipment: Forceblade, Blaster Pistol, Medium Ceramic Armor (AR 6).
Disadvantages: Bad Reputation, Dark Secret, Samurai Code of Honor (Strong).
Description: You are a ronin, a former samurai from the Shogunate who has been exiled. Maybe you committed some crime. Maybe you acted dishonorably. Maybe you are the last survivor of an extinct clan and your enemies would like to find you. Whatever the reason, you now wander the Wastelands working as a hired blade. You still have your honor and your pride, and you have no lost your knowledge of the courtly graces. You still see yourself as a samurai, and woe betide anyone who thinks differently. Your Dark Secret is whatever caused you to become a Ronin.
Skavenger
Characteristics: 2d6
Advantages: Hardy
Powers: -
Skills: Drive (Wheeled Bike), Rifle (Assault Rifle), Handgun (Autopistol), Quick Draw (Autopistol), Stealth, Thrown Weapons, Awareness, Mek, Navigator, Survival.
Equipment: Wheeled Bike, assault Rifle, Autopistol, 5 HEX Grenades, Hide Armor (AR 1).
Disadvantages: Prejudiced Against, Obligation to Gang, Paranoia (Mild).
Description: You are a Skavenger, one of the techno-barbarian nomads of the great wastes. In your time you've been a marauder and a bandit. Now you are looking for something else. Your wheels and your weapons are your most prized possessions for you know that without them, you will soon be dead.
Wastelander
Characteristics: 1d6+2
Advantages: -
Powers: -
Skills: Awareness, Climbing, Healer, Rifle (Assault Rifle), Survival, Navigator, Desert Lore, Stealth.
Equipment: Medium Carapace Symbsuit with camouflage option (also grants Darksight and Innate Sense of Direction), Assault Rifle.
Disadvantages: Waselander Code of Honor (Strong), Obligation (to your tribe).
Description: You are a Wastelander, one of the nomads of the deep desert whose symbsuits enable them to survive in the hostile wastes. Your people are descended from the Hydrans and you share an affinity with them. Your code of honor forces you to aid those lost in the desert and to seek vengeance on all those who have wronged you. You are honest and speak only the truth. You have an obligation to your tribe and its leaders.
Narrator Characters
As Narrator you can use these rules to quickly generate NCs. Bear in mind the folowing points. PCs are supposed to be tough, even by the standards of Waste World.
For average grunts just use the templates given. The NCs will have the equipment and the skills but their characteristics will all be zero and they won't have any skill levels.
The leaders of groups of grunts can be generated just like
PCs. Roll the dice as normal. The Big Bosses that the PCs get to after wading through the grunts and their leaders will be really tough. Use the templates given but give them and extra d6 on their die rolls for characteristics, and roll a d6 for their skill levels. Using these rules you can quickly generate a random band of Skavengers if you need to.
Return to Ranger Firebase Alpha
WASTE WORLD is a trademark of Manticore Productions Limited.
All Contents Copyright Manticore Productions Limited, 1997.
No challenge to these trademarks is intended.
This page osted by 
Get your own Free Homepage