To create a character for any D6xD6 RPG setting, follow these seven steps.
- Name: Choose something appropriate to the setting and your character conception. (Although Name is listed first, you may prefer to decide it last, to fit your other choices. Or use this name randomizer.)
- Gender: Choose a gender for your character—any gender you wish. (Some settings even include alien genders or genderless options like “Robot.)
- Age: Decide on an appropriate age for your character. In some cases, the game host may specify a particular range. Otherwise it’s entirely up to you.
- Attributes: Attributes serve as reactive ratings to roll against when occupation and skills do not apply. (They are used only to avoid, never to accomplish.) Choose one of the following to be your character’s primary (“Focused”) attribute and circle it. Choose another to be your character’s weakness (“Unfamiliar”) and draw a line through it. The remaining attributes are neither strengths nor weaknesses (“Unfocused”).
- Brawn is your character’s strength and stamina.
- Grace is your character’s overall agility and dexterity.
- Will is your character’s self control and strength of personality.
- Wits is your character’s intelligence and mental quickness.
- Occupation: In effect, your character’s occupation serves as a super-skill, identifying the field of knowledge the character is familiar with. Choose something appropriate to the setting you are playing in. Your game host may provide a list of possible careers to choose from; the host always has final say as to what careers are appropriate and what they can accomplish in the setting. (See chapter 5, “Occupations,” for more insights.)
- Skills: Every setting chapter will list 15 to 20 skills that are most important to that venue. In some cases, they are skills unique to that setting—such as the supernatural powers in “Ghost of a Chance.” Choose up to 9 of those skills for your character, remembering that the more you choose, the higher the character’s Focus number. This has an effect on the character’s chance to succeed with any particular skill, as explained in chapter 3, “Dice Mechanics.” Also choose 3 skills from the setting list or from chapter 6, “Basic Skills” as “Unfocused” abilities—things your character is learning or once knew but is rusty at.
- Focus: Total your number of Focus skills, then add 1 point for your occupation. The total is your character’s Focus rating. Minimum is 2 (your occupation and 1 skill); maximum is 10 (your occupation and 9 skills).
Final Details: Some settings may ask you to invent additional details, such as “Cause of Death” in “Ghost of a Chance.” Your game host may also want to discuss items of equipment, based on the setting and your character’s career.
That’s it! Your character is finished and ready to play.