Remaking Merak Gren
In today's post, I'll do a walkthrough of character generation to show the changes I've made. I will refer to the example character, Merak Gren, to show how the modifications affect the character generated with this procedure.
1. Roll Attributes
I prefer the time-honoured roll 3d6 method. I have never believed in the old chestnut of the 'hopeless character', and to me part of the thrill of Stormbringer is making the most of a character despite what the rolls say. The rules state that Elric has a STR of 5 and CON 12, but 5 for each would probably be truer to the books. Considering that the PCs have recourse to potions and magic like Elric, for me there is no excuse for inflating attributes needlessly.
That said, Elric! changed rolling attributes from 3d6 to 2d6+6 to make characters stronger and to modernize the character generation in a way similar to Call of Cthulhu. But since attributes don't affect skill percentages in either CoC or Elric!, this change makes little difference. Ironically, looking at Merak Gren's high stats, it seems he was made using the Elric! method.
Also, some people prefer to move attributes around so that players can get the character they want, or maximize the match between attributes and profession, ie give a fighter high STR or a sorcerer high INT. Once again, in the world of Elric I consider this unnecessary, and a lost chance at roleplaying. A medium INT and POW sorcerer at the lowest rank of sorcery now has an incentive to summon entities to increase POW, or research other ways to do so. Ditto the weak fighter who is tempted to use an enchanted weapon like Elric.
Finally, I drop the Body Type calculations as superfluous in light of the SIZ attribute.
2. Roll Nationality
Roll on the Nationality Tables (2.2.1) as usual, apply modifiers to attributes. The Nationality Table was one of the first things nerfed in Elric! in the name of game balance. Honestly, I find game balance overrated, and the old Nationality Table with its inherent inequality is redolent in charm and perfect for the game in my opinion.
That said, if you want to remove Melnibone and allow any other nationality without adjustments in your game, a la Elric or the new Stormbringer, be my guest. This makes sense in a pulpier game where Melniboneans are the bad guys, but loses the social inequality and resultant moral ambiguity of the source material.
3. Determine Secondary Attributes
3.1 Hit Points
Some people recommend using double Hit Points or CON + SIZ for 'heroic' hit points. This too is unappealing to me (NB: in any game I run, at least. If I am playing at someone else's table, I'll happily follow their rules). Instead, in my next post on Combat I'll be suggesting modifications to armor, as well as some story options to give PCs a fighting chance in a less kludgy way.
To repeat an earlier post, for me, the lethality of Stormbringer combat is a feature, not a bug. Just as in Moorcock's writing, combat is to be avoided or ended quickly. In the books, Elric hides in the dunes of Pikaryd rather than fight his pursuers; he and Smiorgan run from the Olab; he lulls Saxiff D'an into dropping his guard, then coldcocks him until his nemesis arrives. To me, avoiding head on combat and surrounding yourself with commoner meatshields is an aspect of Stormbringer play that I wouldn't want to lose.
Note that the rules state any character reaching zero in ANY attribute dies opens the possibilities for other types of Hit Points - based on STR, INT, or whatever. I may explore this in another post.
4. Determine Skills
As I noted previously, Chaosium games either go one of two ways with the connection between attributes and skills.
Stormbringer tried an interesting bonus system based on attributes above or below the norm. This was hardly worth the effort, and most starting characters of the same profession had exactly the same skill percentages or with a paltry 1 to 3% difference. Ho hum. Alternately, In Call of Cthulhu, and later Elric!, attributes have zero effect on skill percentages, and starting characters are made by the division of lump sums of skill points. Again, ho hum. I find this unsatisfying and undermines the role of attributes in the game.
With this in mind, I'm going to forgo the old Stormbringer system for determining skill bonuses and the new Elric! lump sum method. Instead, I suggest using an attribute as the base percentage for different skills, which is then multiplied to get a starting percentage based on the profession.
How does it work?
The concept is based on multiplying an attribute to generate a skill percentage. In Call of Cthulhu, Dodge is calculated as DEX x 2% and Idea is INT x 5%. In my method, I extend this principle to ALL skills using the Skill Groups from the original Stormbringer rules.
Step One - Drop the finicky calculations of the original bonus system. Instead, use an attribute for each skill group as follows:
Skill Group (ATTRIBUTE)
Attack (DEX)
Parry (STR)
Agility (STR)
Manipulation (DEX)
Perception (INT)
Stealth (DEX)
Communication (CHA)
Sorcery (POW)
Step Two - For each skill listed in the profession description, calculate the multiplier as 1/10 of the listed starting percentage (round up if it does not end with 0).
Example
If you roll up a warrior, the original starting skill percentages and multiplier of my system are as below:
Warrior Starting Skills Starting Multiplier
(without bonus) (using my system)
1st weapon 50% Attack DEX x 5%, Parry STR x 5%
2nd weapon 40% Attack DEX x 4%, Parry STR x 4%
3rd weapon 30% Attack DEX x 3%, Parry STR x 3%
Ride 65% or 25% Ride STR x 7% or STR x 3%
So if you have a STR of 15 and DEX of 9, your first weapon Attack will be 15 x 5 or 75%, while your Parry with the same weapon will be a lower 9 x 5 or 45%. This allows characters with interesting flaws and fortes.
I find swapping in an attribute for a convoluted bonus calculation very elegant, although admittedly you'd want a calculator for determining starting percentages. (Of course, you could just take the new ability and add it to the starting skill level if you find this too intensive or overpowering, but where's the fun in that?)
In addition, we can add a group for Endurance skills, such as Resist Cold, Drink Alcohol, Reist Pain, etc, based on CON.
Remaking Merak Gren
So if we take our old friend Merak Gren from the rulebook as an example, we see that starting characters often do not vary widely based on their attributes.
Warrior Starting Skills Merak's Starting Skills
(without bonus) (using old system)
1st weapon 50% Bow 57%
2nd weapon Attack 40% Broadsword 47%
2nd weapon Parry 40% Broadsword 41%
3rd weapon Attack 30% Sea Axe 37%
3rd weapon Parry 30% Sea Axe 31%
Ride* 65% or 25% Ride 57%
*Merak Gren's starting percentage differs from the rules, and may indicate an earlier percentage that was scrapped.
Assassin Starting Skills Merak's Starting Skills
(without bonus) (using old system)
Poison Lore 30% Poison Lore 32%
Search 25% Search 26%
Move Quietly 50% Move Quietly 50%
Hide 40% Hide 40%
Ambush 50% Ambush 50%
Listen 50% Listen 51%
As we can see, the small advantage gained by the old bonus system is hardly worth calculating. Let's look at my proposed system for calculating starting skills based on attributes:
Warrior Starting Skills Comparison (old system vs my system)
Merak Gren's stats: STR 14 CON 14 SIZ 17 INT 13 POW 12 DEX 16 CHA 13
Merak's Starting Skills Merak's Starting Skills
(old system) (using my system)
Bow 57% Bow (16 x 5) 80%
Broadsword Attack 47% Broadsword Attack (16 x 4) 64%
Broadsword Parry 41% Broadsword Parry (14 x 4) 56%
Sea Axe Attack 37% Sea Axe Attack (16 x 3) 48%
Sea Axe Parry 31% Sea Axe Parry (14 x 3) 42 %
Ride 57% Ride (14 x 7) 98% or (14 x 3) 42%
Assassin Skills Merak's Starting Skills
(old system) (using my system)
Poison Lore 30% Poison Lore (13 x 3) 39%
Search 25% Search (13 x 3) 39%
Move Quietly 50% Move Quietly (16 x 5) 80%
Hide 40% Hide (16 x 4) 64%
Ambush 50% Ambush (16 x 5) 80%
Listen 50% Listen (13 x 5) 65%
As we can see, Merak Gren is much more competent, and can even be accused of being min-maxed or overpowered. But if characters are generated by straight 3d6, this problem of power balance largely resolves itself, as does the GM giving penalties or modifiers for challenging rolls. Also, some gamers suggest bumping up the skill levels of characters of Stormbringer to give them a better chance, but adopting this system resolves that issue by rewarding high attributes and penalizing low, making players play to the strengths of their character while recognizing their weaknesses.
What about Other Skills? Roll 1d6+2 as normal and use the number of points generated as modifiers for skills outside the profession. You can use them all for one skill, or split them among a few. I recommend players don't choose these skills during creation, but instead wait till actual play and use them sparingly when they see a need for a skill they don't have.
To give another example, if we have Merchant A who is strong (STR 16) and Merchant B who is weaker (STR 10), then Merchant A can protect himself in a fight (STR 16 x 4 = Parry of 64%), while Merchant B is better off hiring bodyguards (STR 10 x 4 = Parry of 40%). Conversely, if Merchant A is smart (INT 15) but somewhat taciturn (CHA 9), he’ll be a renowned expert at Evaluating Treasure (INT 15 x 8 = 120%) but better off getting someone else to negotiate (CHA 9 x 4 = 36% Credit). He had better call the charming Merchant B (CHA 15 x 4 = 60% Credit) to do the talking for him.
I find these rules very evocative in making a character emerge through the numbers.
3.3 Character Description, Purpose and Story Effects
Because old Stormbringer lacked any real roleplaying mechanics, roleplaying was ad hoc and often contradictory. For example, Merak Gren's Description reads, "likes sneaking around," but this is suspect considering he is also described as wearing plate mail, carrying three weapons, and has a SIZ of 17.
In this post, I propose a simple two part roleplaying mechanic for encouraging and rewarding roleplaying. The system is comprised of the following:
1) Description based highest and/or lowest attribute scores
2) Purpose consisting of a Verb + Noun
Both the PC Description and Purpose are detailed below.
Story Mechanic #1
Invoking A Description
The first roleplaying mechanic uses the attributes to generate descriptions that can be used for story effects. Simply put, an attribute that is either low (below 9) or high (above 12) will generate a description that can be used to affect the narrative of play.
Description Examples - Use these or make your own.
STR
Low (below 9): Feeble, decrepit, puny, languid
High (above 12): Muscular, brawny, stalwart, sinewy
CON
Low (below 9): Listless, lethargic, fragile, pallid
High (above 12): Hearty, vigourous, dynamic, virile
SIZ
Low (below 9): Stunted, slender, gaunt, diminutive
High (above 12): Stout, tall, hefty, husky
(NB: Since SIZ is often at odds with STR or DEX, feel free to use 'and' or 'yet' as appropriate)
POW
Low (below 9): Distracted, spiritless, apathetic, torpid
High (above 12): Tireless, vital, aggressive, spry
INT
Low (below 9): Unthinking, distracted, inarticulate, gullible
High (above 12): Resourceful, cunning, academic, astute
DEX
Low (below 9): Clumsy, flatfooted, ungainly, bumbling
High (above 12): Lithe, graceful, quick-footed, coordinated
CHA
Low (below 9): Morose, sullen, taciturn, uncommunicative
High (above 12): Charismatic, friendly, solicitous, convivial
If a character has a lowest and a highest attribute, link them with 'but' or 'yet' (i.e. cunning yet clumsy)
If a character has only two high or low attributes, link the lowest or highest with 'and' (i.e. resourceful and aggressive, morose and torpid)
If a character has NO high or low attributes, use the following:
Plain, nondescript, meek, reserved
For example, looking at Merak gren, he has SIZ 17 and DEX 16. Under this system, he could be described as 'husky yet graceful.'
Invoking Descriptions
Once a session, in appropriate circumstances, a player can invoke their description. This gives them a roleplaying success, no roll required. However, now the GM has license to use this description against the PC at a later opportunity.
Example 1 (Player invocation)
GM: Dr. Jest turns away from the pile of meat that was your comrade and flashes his scalpel in your eyes.
Player: I'd like to invoke my taciturn description.
GM: (notes the invocation for later use) "Dr Jest sighs and says, "You're not much one for words, I see. Don't worry, I'll come back to you." You're safe... for now."
Example 2 (GM invocation)
Player: I want to try and show the Melnibonean merchant I mean no harm
GM: You don't speak Melnibonean, do you?
Player: No, but I figure I can express myself with body language.
GM: Normally I would say yes, but you did invoke your 'taciturn' description before…
Player: (sighs) You got me. I guess I'll have to fight…
GM: You could always surrender again.
NB - All players and GM must agree that the invocation of Description is 1) appropriate 2) adds to the game or story and 3) is not overpowered or disturbs the story or adventure.
Story Mechanic # 2
Purposes
All characters in the Elric novels have a purpose. Elric's purpose was to find freedom, then see if something greater than that Lords of Law and Chaos exist. Smiorgan's was to bring profit back to the Purple Towns, while Moonglum's was similar to find adventure and riches.
To determine your adventurer's Purpose, either choose or roll a Verb and a Noun from the following tables, then rephrase them in an interesting way.
Example Verbs
1 Find
2 Lose
3 Protect
4 Destroy
5 Oppose
6 Serve
Example Nouns
1 Gods
2 Ruler
3 Homeland
4 Family
5 Love
6 Wealth
For example, if I roll for Merak Gren, I get a 4 and a 4, giving the strange result of 'destroy' and 'family'.
This generates lots of ideas. Is he destroying his own family or that of someone else? Is it a regular family, or a royal one? Why has it come to this?
Let the player ruminate and decide on their own Purpose. For Merak Gren, he could choose any of the following:
Destroy his tribe for killing his father, the old chief
Assassinate the Agrimiliar royal family because they razed his village
The GM should incorporate this Purpose into the campaign, and build in subplots to advance the character’s arc. In terms of story effect, when a PC is actively engaged in fulfilling his or her Purpose, once a session they may either reroll a dice roll turn a failure into a limited success.
For example, let’s say that Merak Gren’s player chooses the Purpose of assassinating the royal family, and he is sneaking into their palace one night. He fails his Move Quietly roll. The player chooses not to reroll and risk another failure, but instead to take a limited success.
The GM rules that an alarm is tripped, but that guards do not know where the intruder is, and that Merak can try to cut through the gardens to the royal chambers. The player agrees to doing so, and the GM informs him that a solitary guard bars his entry as all others are searching for intruders. The player is happy with Merak’s chances against one foe instead of many and picks up his dice.
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