CHARACTER CREATION CHALLENGE 2023: B/X D&D (5 of 6)
Thus far, our party consists of Brandic Bitterbow, Halfling Veteran, Greenbriar, Elven Veteran-Medium, Mildred of the Violet Robes, Medium, and Mary the Mace, Acolyte. We’re still two PCs light on this party, so let’s roll some dice and see who else is in the tavern.
BX Character Creation Summary
Step 1: 3d6 powers - ACTIVATE.
STR: 13 +1 bonus.
INT: 13 - +1 bonus.
WIS: 12 - High average.
DEX: 12 - High average.
CON: 14 - Healthy! +1 to HP rolls.
CHA: 5 - What is it with this party? Either they’re very charismatic, or totally unlikeable.
Step 2: SHAPE OF - DWARF!
With a good STR and CON, this character would be an excellent Fighter or Dwarf, but given the Dwarven stereotype of gruff warrior we get from period literature, we’ll take that CHA 5 to mean this is that sort of warrior. More Dwalin than Fili and Kili. Today, we love to play against stereotype. Sometimes it’s because the stereotypes are old and worn out by this point. Many times it’s because we realize in 2023 that the individual is what we’re playing, and an individual can be anyone we want them to be unencumbered by any idea that an entire species has a single personality. I’m leaning toward “Crusty Dwarf” because I’m rolling these characters with an attempt to do so through the eyes of 11 year old me playing D&D for the first time in the mid 80s.
Dwarves begin the game with the following special abilities:
Infravision 60 foot range.
Can sense slanting floors, traps, shifting walls, and new construction on 1-2 on a d6.
Speaks Dwarvish, Gnome, Kobold, and Goblin in addition to Common and Alignment Tongue.
Step 3: OK, we’re going to adjust stats. Lowering INT from 13 to 9, and WIS from 12 to 10, gives us a +3 to STR. This will result in a STR of 16, which gives our Dwarf +2 on attack and damage rolls, and a 10% bonus on earned experience.
Step 4: The Dwarf gets a d8 for HP, and rolls a 3, not great. But at least it gets modified by CON into a 4.
Step 5: Holy filthy lucre, Batman! Our Dwarf rolls triple sixes! 180gp worth of gear. Rock on! Get it? Dwarf? Rock? Never mind.
With HP of only 4, we’re going to splurge on Plate Mail + Shield for 70gp. Since we’re leaning into the 80s conception of a Dwarf, we’ll buy a Hand Axe and a War Hammer. That’s 79gp gone, leaving us with 101gp. We’ll score a backpack, 3 oil flasks, a hammer and spikes, 1 week Iron Rations, a tinderbox, 2 wineskins (full), and we’ll still have 65gp in our purse.
Step 6: AC is a stellar 2 - 3 for Plate Mail adjusted down one for the shield. The 2 to hit and damage makes this PC our most dangerous in melee combat yet. Saving throws are the same as the Halfling, good across the board and great against Poison or Death Ray.
Step 7: Heh. Dwarven female. Now we get to argue over the length of her beard. Because in the 80s that was a common discussion. We’ll name her Hammara Ironaxe. That sounds suitably period.
Dwarven Veteran Hammara Ironaxe is ready to show she’s the equal or better of any warrior, Human, Dwarven, or otherwise. With her amazing AC and hit/damage bonuses, she’ll be the anchor of the line in any fight, and with the 10% xp bonus, she’ll level just as quickly as a Human fighter (not counting any xp bonus they may have) until she tops out at 12th level.
