Fudge: Advanced Character Creation

This was my first (and only) attempt at making Fudge more like other point-buy systems. After playtesting this a bit, I hopelessly trashed the idea and decided to use the Fudge subjective character creation exclusively. Chalk one up for Fudge. However, I did put some effort into this and hate to see it wasted, so, here it is. If you want to use it, great. If not, great.

Trait points

Players have 10 trait points in which to build their characters. Trait points can be used to purchase attributes, gifts, and skills as per the following exchange rate:

1 trait point = 1 gift

-or-

1 trait point = 2 attribute levels

-or-

1 trait point = 6 skill levels.

In addition, faults can be traded for trait points on a 1 to 1 basis. Note that the GM may decree a certain gift or fault to be worth more or less than 1 trait point.

For more legendary characters, increase the number of trait points allotted. For weaker characters, decrease the amount of trait points given.

Attributes

Each character has 5 basic attributes. They are strength, dexterity, intelligence, health, and will power. Each attribute defaults to fair – to raise or lower an attribute costs or refunds attribute levels as per the following table:

Level	Cost
Superb	+3
Great	+2
Good	+1
Fair	0
Mediocre	-1
Poor	-2
Terrible	-3

In addition, each character has a calculated move attribute. Using a scale of terrible = 1 and superb = 7, average the characters health and dexterity, rounding off, and determine the move level using the same scale. For example, a character with a dexterity of great and a health of good would have a move of good (great = 6, good = 5, 5 + 6 = 11, 11 / 2 = 5.5 rounded off to 5, 5 = good).

No attribute may be raised higher than superb or lower then terrible at character creation.

Gifts and Faults

Generally, each gift costs one trait point and each fault refunds one trait point. However, the GM may decree that a given gift or fault costs or refunds more or less than one trait point based upon the potency of the gift or fault.

Note that supernormal powers are treated as gifts and no distinction is made between the two, other than the fact that most supernormal powers cost two gifts. If the GM does not desire supernormal powers in his campaign, he should not allow the player to take any as gifts.

Skills

Each skill is classed as either physical or mental, and rated easy, average, or hard, with mental skills having an additional rating of very hard. Each skill has a default level based upon the class and rating of the skill, and the related attribute of the defaulting character. For physical skills, the related attribute is Dexterity; for mental skills it is Intelligence.

The cost and final skill level is determined using the following charts:

Physical skills

	Easy	Average	Hard
DX-3	-2	-1	0
DX-2	-1	0	1
DX-1	0	1	2
DX	1	2	3
DX+1	2	3	4
DX+2	3	4	5
DX+3	4	5	6

Mental Skills

	Easy	Average	Hard	Very Hard
IQ-3	-2	-1	0	1
IQ-2	-1	0	1	2
IQ-1	0	1	2	3
IQ	1	2	3	4
IQ+1	2	3	4	5
IQ+2	3	4	5	6
IQ+3	4	5	6	7

Taking a skill at lower than the default level will refund skill levels to the character – subject to GM approval. (A less-than-default-level in underwater basket-weaving is not really worth a whole skill level, unless the characters are from a society that highly values baskets that were woven underwater.)

For example, a character with a good dexterity wants to have a good knife skill. The knife skill is a physical easy skill, so the player will have to spend 1 attribute point to have the skill at the desired level. If he wanted a poor knife skill, he would be refunded 2 attribute points.

No skill may be raised higher than superb or lower than terrible at character creation. 

Designation of Open Gaming Content: the text of this post is designated Open Game Content as outlined in section 1(d) of the Open Game License.