(It's actually at the end of the document, but this will send you there
if you want ...)
"Five-point Fudge" is a character creation
system for Fudge, suitable for newcomers to
Fudge, both new and experienced role-players.
Legal Note: Fudge itself uses an OGL - see the Grey Ghost Games
website.
Five-point Fudge may be used with any Fudge product which follows the
OGL. You may modify it, but please credit Steffan O'Sullivan as the
original author. If you are not using the Fudge OGL, you may not
publish Five-point Fudge for sale, but may copy it for personal use.
Five-point Fudge is specifically aimed at those
players who feel lost when first reading Fudge. It can be
intimidating and confusing at first to read a game with so many options -
one doesn't know where to begin. Five-point Fudge gives
you an easy beginning point: a set way to make a character to see if
you might like this game. If you find you do enjoy Fudge,
you may then want to try subjective character creation - or you may be
happy using this system for the rest of your Fudge career.
Five-point Fudge assumes that you understand basic
role-playing terms and basic Fudge terms. If not, please
read Fudge first - at least the character creation chapter.
Five-point Fudge is suitable for any genre,
but each separate genre requires customized skill lists, gifts,
faults, and possibly attributes. The version presented here is for a
Fantasy genre only, but other genres can be found on the Grey Ghost Web site.
Note to the reader: this version of Fudge
has set skills attributes, gifts, and faults. These lists should not
be considered as canon - the reader should remember that everything in
Fudge is fully customizable, and these lists are offered
only as an easy introduction to Fudge.
Fudge itself makes no mention of "character points,"
using the word "levels" instead. This character creation system
introduces character creation points, which are different from levels.
The norm in this system is a five-point character. A GM may
allow her players fewer or more points as she sees fit, of course -
see Campaign Power Levels. If you're new to
Fudge, we recommend you start with five-point characters,
and play with them for awhile. You'll then be better able to decide if
the power level is right for you.
Each genre has a number of skill groups available. In the Fantasy
genre found here, for example, there are eight skill groups
(detailed later). Each skill group has 15 or more skills, of which the
player may choose a certain number, based on the number of points spent
in that skill group.
A player can spend his points in any of the groups that he chooses,
up to four points in any one group. Each quantity of points spent
provides a certain number of skills (of the player's choice) from the
appropriate group, at the levels shown below:
Points Spent Skills in that Group,
in a Group at which Levels
-------------------------------------------------------
Broad Focus Narrow Focus
-------------------------------------------------------
1 3 at Fair 1 at Good
1 at Mediocre 1 at Mediocre
-------------------------------------------------------
2 2 at Good 1 at Great
4 at Fair 1 at Good
1 at Fair
-------------------------------------------------------
1 at Great
3 3 at Good
4 at Fair
------------------------------------------------
1 at Superb
2 at Great
4 3 at Good
3 at Fair
------------------------------------------------
Note that if you spend only 1 or 2 points in a skill group you can
spend your points in either a broad or narrow focus. Because a character
with too few skills may be weak in a given campaign, the GM may limit
the number of points you can spend on narrowly focused skill groups.
(Suggested limit: two points.)
Examples of point expenditure: if a player wishes his character
to be a dabbler at Combat, he could spend one point on the Combat group.
Using a broad focus, he could then choose any three Combat skills to
list on his character sheet at Fair and any one at Mediocre. Using a
narrow focus, he may choose any two Combat skills: one at Good and one
at Mediocre.
- Example 1: one point in Combat
- One-handed Sword: Fair
- Fast-draw Sword: Fair
- Shield: Fair
- Brawling: Mediocre
- Example 2: a different way to spend one point in Combat
- Spear: Fair
- Throw Spear: Fair
- Tactics: Fair
- Knife: Mediocre
- Example 3: one narrowly focused point in Combat
- Bow: Good
- One-handed Sword: Mediocre
If a player spends two points in a skill group, he can choose two
skills at Good, and four more at Fair (using a broad focus), or one at
Great, one at Good, and one at Fair (using a narrow focus).
- Example 4: two points in Combat
- One-handed Sword: Good
- Fast-draw Sword: Good
- Bow: Fair
- Tactics: Fair
- Brawling: Fair
- Read Opponent: Fair
- Example 5: two narrowly focused points in Social
- Fast-talk: Great
- Parley/Negotiate: Good
- Camaraderie: Fair
And so on. The more points a player spends in a given skill group,
the more his character gains both familiarity with a number of skills
and greater expertise in some of those skills. For example, a Combat
specialist is a professional soldier who will be an expert with a few
weapons, but will have also used many other weapons over the course of
his career.
The player may choose any skills within a given skill group,
up to the number listed for the points spent. The player may decide
which of those skills are at the listed levels. If the GM doesn't
want a character to know a given skill, she should make sure the player
understands this before character creation.
Thus there are thousands of player character types available in this
system, yet all are easily customized to the player's desires.
The possible combinations of spending five points are:
5 different skill groups: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
4 different skill groups: 2, 1, 1, 1
3 different skill groups: 3, 1, 1 or 2, 2, 1
2 different skill groups: 4, 1 or 3, 2
A player may spend a maximum of one point as a General Skills
point. This means you may spend one point and take any three
non-magic skills at Fair. These skills can be from two or three
different skill groups, if desired (there is no point in taking them
all from the same group). Note that a General Skills point does not
get you as many skills as a broadly focused point (four), but more than
a narrowly focused point (two).
During character creation you may trade one skill for two skills of
lesser value. Thus you could trade one Good skill for two Fair skills,
or one Great skill for two Good skills. For example, spending two
points in a skill group normally gets you 2 Good and 4 Fair skills.
You could instead choose 2 Good, 3 Fair, and 2 Mediocre skills.
Skills involved in the trade must all be from the same skill group.
Exception: with a General Skills point (see above), you can trade a
Fair for two Mediocre skills from two different groups. Thus a character
could take six Mediocre skills from six different groups with a General
Skills point.
No other trading of skill levels is allowed, unless using the expanded
trading option in Campaign Power Levels.
The normal Fudge Character sheet is used. However, under
the Skill list, the player should list the points spent. For example,
you might begin your skill list with:
- Skill Groups:
- Combat: 2 pts
- Scouting: 2 pts
- Athletic: 1 pt
There are many ways to create a character. If you have a concept in
mind, scan the skill lists that seem most likely to fit your character.
For example, a fighter will obviously need to spend some points in Combat
skills, and a thief in Covert skills.
Since you must spend points in at least two skill groups, try
to think of what other skills, aside from the obvious, would be helpful -
or perhaps simply fun - for your character to have.
If you don't have a concept in mind, then toy with skill group
linkings. What would a Combat-Scouting combination look like? Probably a
"Ranger." How about an Athletic-Covert? Hmm - a James Bond type,
perhaps? Knowledge-Social - that might be a merchant or a diplomat,
depending on the skills chosen. And so on - this is actually a fun
pastime, even if you aren't making a character.
Once you've decided on which skill groups to choose from, jot down
the most appealing skills in these groups. The number of skills you
want from a given group will tell you how many points you need to spend
in that skill group. For example, if only two or three skills appeal to
you from a group, spending 1 or 2 narrowly focused points is sufficient.
If you really want eight or ten skills all from the same group, you're
creating a specialist character: you'll probably have to spend three or
four points in that skill group to get that many skills. (Another way
to get eight or ten skills, if you don't mind low skill levels, is to
use the "trading skills" option, and expect to raise them later with
experience points.) A "Jack of All Trades" character rarely spends more
than two points in any one group, and is interested in skills from three
or more different skill groups.
Once your skills are chosen, you can then set your attributes, Gifts,
and Faults. At that point you'll easily be able to see what levels your
attributes should logically be, and which Gifts and Faults would go most
appropriately with your character.
A note about magic: Spending less than three points in the Magic
skill group means your character's magical ability will be very limited,
and not work with great regularity. That may be okay - such characters
can be fun to play! But if you really want a magic-using character of
any aptitude and breadth at all, plan on spending three or four points
in the Magic skill group.
Each genre has its own skill groups. Listed here are eight skill
groups for a Fantasy setting. The GM may customize these lists,
of course, and may even add or delete an entire skill group if desired.
Following the lists is a comprehensive, alphabetical list of the
skills, with descriptions and which skill group they appear in.
Note: although four of the skill groups have multiple titles,
such as Athletic/Manual Dexterity Skills, for simplicity they are
referred to outside this list by the first part of the title, such as
Athletic Skills.
Skills marked with an asterisk (*) appear in more than one skill
group. These may be learned by spending points in either skill group -
there is no reason to learn the same skill from two different groups.
Acrobatics/Tumbling Move Quietly *
Aerial Acrobatics Riding
Balance Running
Boating * Sleight of Hand
Climbing * Swimming
Equestrian Acrobatics Team Acrobatics
Juggling Throwing
Jumping Whittling
Knot-tying Various Sports
Bow Pike
Brawling Quarterstaff
Club/Mace Read Opponent
Crossbow Shield
Fast-draw Sling
Flail Spear
Knife Spear Throwing
Knife Throwing Tactics
Lance Two-handed Axe
One-handed Axe Two-handed Sword
One-handed Sword (Other weapon skill approved by GM)
Barroom Savvy * Move Quietly *
Climbing * Pick Locks
Detect Lies Pick Pockets
Detect Traps Poisons
Disarm Traps Shady Contacts
Disguise Streetwise
Find Hidden Tailing
Forgery Urban Survival
Infiltrate Ventriloquism
Lip reading
Alchemy * Legal Process
Arcane Lore Legends/Stories
Area Knowledge Literacy *
Astrology Medicine
Botany Politics/International
Evaluate Goods Thaumatology *
First aid Theology/Myths/Rituals
Geography Veterinarian
Heraldry/Court Rituals Weather Sense
Herb Lore * Zoology
History Other fields of knowledge
Language (each is a separate skill)
Note: there are three separate subgroups of Magic Skills:
Scholarly Magic, Hedge Magic, and Clerical Magic.
You must specialize in one of these three branches if you spend any
points in the Magic Skills Group. See the separate section, Magic.
See the separate section, Magic.
Animal Handling Jeweler
Animal Training Leatherwork
Armorer Masonry
Artist Merchant
(each medium separate) Musician
Basketry (each instrument separate)
Bookkeeping Performing
Bowyer/Fletcher Pottery
Carpentry Seamanship
Cooking Shiphandling
Counseling/Priest Shopkeeping
Courtesan Smithy
Dancing Tailor
Engineer Teaching
Falconry Teamster
Farming Theater
Gambling Weaving
Inn Keeping Many others possible...
- Note: if a player spends 3 or 4 points in Professional
Skills, he may claim skills from any skill group as part of his
Professional skills, subject to GM approval. Not all skills will qualify!
E.g., a 3-point Animal Handler can make a strong claim that Riding
(Athletic) is in his Professional skill group, but an animal handler
doesn't necessarily know any combat skills. See the sample character,
Jimma.
Boating * Mimic Animal Noises
Camouflage Move Quietly *
Camping Navigation
Fishing Observation
Herb Lore * Survival
Hide Traces Tracking
Hunting Trail Blazing
Map Sketching Woods Lore
Barroom Savvy * Intimidate
Barter/Haggle Lie/Pretense
Bluff Oratory
Camaraderie Parley/Negotiate
Con Persuade
Etiquette Repartee
Fast-talk Salesmanship
Flatter Savoir-Faire
Flirt/Vamp Storytelling
Interrogate
This section contains an alphabetical list of all skills, including a
brief description and which groups the skills appear in. Magic spells
are listed separately - see Magic.
Defaults: Most skills default to Poor, so if a skill isn't
listed on your character sheet, your character probably knows it at
Poor. Certain skills, such as Magic, are an exception to this -
they're not known at all if not listed on the character sheet. Other
skills may have a default of Terrible or Mediocre. Skills which
have a default other than Poor have the default listed in
[brackets].
- Acrobatics/Tumbling: moving your body gracefully and
successfully through difficult maneuvers, such as rolls, tumbles,
leaps, springing to your feet, etc. (Athletic)
- Aerial Acrobatics: swinging from ropes, chandeliers, vines,
trapezes, rigging, etc., safely and accurately. (Athletic)
- Alchemy: knowledge of and the ability to create elixirs and
talismans of magical power. See Magic. [No
default] (Knowledge, Magic)
- Animal Handling: managing animals in many situations.
(Professional)
- Animal Training: training animals for specific tasks.
(Professional)
- Arcane Lore: knowledge of occult things - otherworldly
stories, legends, etc. (Knowledge)
- Area Knowledge: knowledge of a given area. The larger the
area, the more shallow the knowledge. (Knowledge)
- Armorer: making, altering, and repairing armor. [Terrible]
(Professional)
- Artist: creating aesthetically pleasing art in a given
medium. Each medium is a separate skill. (Professional)
- Astrology: this is either simple astronomy or an actual
potent forecasting and divination tool - ask the GM. (Knowledge)
- Balance: keeping one's equilibrium in awkward physical
situations, such as tightrope walking, beam walking, crossing a stream
on a log, etc. (Athletic)
- Barroom Savvy: like Urban Survival, but very
specific to barrooms. (Social, Covert)
- Barter/Haggle: raising or reducing prices, depending on
whether you're selling or buying. Opposed by the other person's
Barter/Haggle skill. (Social)
- Basketry: making baskets and other woven products from
bark, grasses, and other plant materials. Includes a knowledge of
materials, market prices, etc. (Professional)
- Bluff: misleading people into thinking you will perform an
action you have no intention of performing. Opposed by Reasoning.
(Social)
- Boating: small boat handling. (Athletic, Scouting)
- Bookkeeping: knowledge of accounting practices - requires
Literacy and some math ability. (Professional)
- Botany: broad knowledge of plants - their habitats, growing
needs, uses, dangers, etc. See Herb Lore, Farming,
Basketry, Poisons, etc., for more specific skills.
(Knowledge)
- Bow: using and caring for a bow and arrows, either longbow
or short bow. [Terrible] (Combat)
- Bowyer/Fletcher: making bows and arrows, including
harvesting the appropriate material. [Terrible] (Professional)
- Brawling: fighting without weapons. (Combat)
- Camaraderie: being entertaining in social settings, such as
at a bar, at a party, around a campfire, etc., which can gain
someone's confidence and approval. (Social)
- Camouflage: blending in with your surroundings so you don't
stand out. Primarily used in natural settings - use Disguise in
urban settings. (However, a case could be made for using Camouflage
skill to hide in an alley, for example.) (Scouting)
- Camping: similar to Survival, but requires some
tools, such as blankets, pots, an axe, a tent, etc. In return, it
allows greater comfort and quality of life in the wild. (Scouting)
- Carpentry: working with wood, to make anything from houses
to furniture to cabinets. (Professional)
- Casting Skill: there is no one skill, just individual
spells. See Magic. [No
default]
- Climbing: climbing, either natural formations such as
cliffs and trees, or man-made ones such as stone, brick, etc., (but
not sheer) walls. (Athletic, Covert)
- Club/Mace: using a club or mace as a combat weapon.
(Combat)
- Con: making people believe in some plan or product you are
pushing. (Social)
- Cooking: preparing tasty and nourishing food.
(Professional)
- Counseling/Priest: comforting the afflicted, restoring good
emotional health, helping people through grief, etc. (Professional)
- Courtesan: professional pleasure giving. (Professional)
- Crossbow: using a crossbow effectively in combat.
[Mediocre] (Combat)
- Dancing: dancing aesthetically. See Performing.
(Professional)
- Detect Lies: telling when someone is lying. Opposed by
Lies/Pretense. (Covert)
- Detect Traps: determining if a given area has a trap of
some sort set, and what type. (Covert)
- Diplomacy: not a separate skill - see
Parley/Negotiate
- Disarm Traps: deactivating a trap without harm. This may
or may not cause noise, however ... (Covert)
- Disguise: passing for someone else under visual inspection.
There is a penalty for serious inspection, of course. Opposed by
Reasoning, though no roll is needed if the observer has no reason to
be suspicious. (Covert)
- Engineer: designing and making tools, structures, sewer
systems, etc. (Professional)
- Equestrian Acrobatics: performing acrobatic mounts,
dismounts, trick riding, etc. This skill cannot be higher than your
Riding skill. (Athletic)
- Etiquette: knowledge of good manners in any society, and
the ability to carry them out. Not as specific as Savoir-Faire, but
gives a broader base for knowledge. (Social)
- Evaluate Goods: a general skill to assess the value of
something. It won't be as accurate as a specific Professional skill
(for example, a Potter will be a better judge of Pottery than someone
with this skill), but as a broad skill allows a good general
knowledge. (Knowledge)
- Falconry: training and controlling a raptor for sport and
hunting. (Professional)
- Farming: raising crops and/or livestock, and everything
associated with that: soil preparation, planting, weeding, tending,
harvest, drying, storage, markets, etc. (Professional)
- Fast-draw: readying a weapon for combat use effectively
instantly. A different skill for each weapon, and some weapons cannot
be fast-drawn. (Combat)
- Fast-talk: convincing someone of something, which, upon
reflection, they may realize isn't true. Fast-talk doesn't create
lasting belief - see the Con skill for that. Opposed by
Reasoning. (Social)
- Find Hidden: locating concealed doors, compartments,
catches, etc. (Covert)
- First aid: administering emergency medical treatment
knowledgeably. (Knowledge)
- Fishing: catching fish for food, sale, barter, or sport.
(Scouting)
- Flail: using a flail as a weapon. (Combat)
- Flatter: making people like you by complimenting them to
the point they begin to trust your judgement. Opposed by Willpower.
(Social)
- Flirt/Vamp: arousing sexual interest in an appropriate
subject, for whatever reason. Opposed by Willpower. (Social)
- Forgery: making fake documents and/or signatures that look
authentic. (Covert)
- Gambling: gaming for money. Note that some gambling
includes games of skill, and others games of chance - this skill helps
largely with the former, and knowledge of the latter, including a good
estimate of the odds. Also the ability to cheat at games, and spot
cheaters. (Professional)
- Geography: broader than Area Knowledge, Geography is
the knowledge of general topography, terrain nature, biomes, etc.
(Knowledge)
- Heraldry/Court Rituals: knowledge of signs, symbols, and
devices used to denote rank and family of the nobility. Also
knowledge of court rituals, such as how many trumpet calls to announce
a king as opposed to a duke, etc. (Knowledge)
- Herb Lore: knowledge of, preparation of, dosage of, and
dangers of using herbs as medicinal agents. While it may tell you
which herbs to avoid, this skill does not go into specific poisons -
see Poisons for that skill. See Botany for a broader
knowledge of plants. (Scouting, Knowledge)
- Hide Traces: hiding any traces that people or animals used
an area. This includes hiding tracks as well as camping areas.
(Scouting)
- History: knowledge of historical figures and events. This
can be a broad and shallow skill, such as World History, or a narrower
and deeper skill, such as history of a specific state. (Knowledge)
- Hunting: hunting and killing animals for food, hides,
sport, or whatever. (Scouting)
- Infiltrate: slipping into a guarded camp, either by
pretending to have a right to be there or simply by avoiding all
contact. (Covert)
- Inn Keeping: the knowledge of running a hotel or inn:
includes kitchen, bar-keeping, maid service, stable, etc.
(Professional)
- Interrogate: extracting information from an unwilling
subject. There are two basic types of interrogators: those who get
their subjects to trust them, and those who psychologically abuse
them. Chose one type. Opposed by Willpower. (Social)
- Intimidate: psychologically brow beating someone else into
doing your will. Does not involve any physical component. Opposed by
Willpower. (Social)
- Jeweler: making and evaluating jewelry. Includes
assessment of gems, gold, silver, etc. (Professional)
- Juggling: juggling anything you can lift. See also
Performing. (Athletic)
- Jumping: jumping for distance and accuracy. (Athletic)
- Knife: using a knife in combat, but not necessarily to
throw it. (Combat)
- Knife Throwing: throwing a knife accurately and with force.
(Combat)
- Knot-tying: tying functional and/or ornamental knots for
various purposes. [Mediocre] (Athletic)
- Lance: using a lance (a type of hand-held spear used from
horseback). Does not include the Riding skill. (Combat)
- Language: speaking and understanding a language. Every
character knows their native language well at no cost - take this
skill to learn foreign languages. Each language learned is a separate
skill. [No default, or may default to similar language] (Knowledge)
- Leatherwork: working with leather - includes tanning,
preparation, tooling, sewing, etc. (Professional)
- Legal Process: knowledge of legal matters. [Terrible]
(Knowledge)
- Legends/Stories: knowledge of legends and stories, either
as a source for entertainment, wisdom, or clues to treasure hunting,
etc. (Knowledge)
- Lie/Pretense: dissembling your true intentions, origins, or
role from others. Opposed by Detect Lies. (Social)
- Lip reading: seeing what people are saying by watching
their lips move. (Covert)
- Literacy: reading and writing. (Knowledge, Magic)
- Map Sketching: creating reasonably accurate and readable
maps from observation. (Scouting)
- Masonry: working with stone. (Professional)
- Medicine: diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases in
humans and other sentient beings. (Knowledge)
- Merchant: broad knowledge of what it takes to be in the
business of selling or trading, either retail or wholesale.
(Professional)
- Mimic Animal Noises: making a noise which sounds like a
specific animal. (Scouting)
- Move Quietly: moving without attracting attention. Opposed
by Perception. (Athletic, Covert, Scouting)
- Musician (each instrument separate): mastery of an
instrument (which may be voice). See Performing.
(Professional)
- Navigation: finding your way based on the stars, position
of the sun, map-reading, etc. (Scouting)
- Observation: trained ability to notice and remember things
- conscious application of Perception and memory. The
player's notes are the character's memory. (Scouting)
- One-handed Axe: using small axes as combat weapons.
(Combat)
- One-handed Sword: using any sword designed to be used with
one hand. (Combat)
- Oratory: keeping the focus of a group of people through
speaking, and attempting to sway them to your point of view. Opposed
by group's average Reasoning-1. (Social)
- Parley/Negotiate: reaching a compromise solution. (Social)
- Performing: stage presence - actively entertaining people.
You'll need another skill to actually entertain with, such as
Juggler, Storyteller, Musician, etc. A musician
without the Performing skill may be skilled at producing music, but
lacks "audience connection" and won't be as popular as a musician with
good Performing skill. (Professional)
- Persuade: convincing an individual of your point of view.
Opposed by Reasoning. (Social)
- Pick Locks: opening locks without the correct key. Penalty
of -1 with improvised lockpicks. Difficult locks may have an
additional penalty. (Covert)
- Pick Pockets: removing items from an individual's pockets,
belt, purse, etc., without them noticing it. Opposed by Perception.
[Terrible] (Covert)
- Pike: using a very long hand-held spear as a weapon - most
useful in formations, especially against cavalry. (Combat)
- Poisons: knowledge, use, preparation, and dosage of various
poisons. (Covert)
- Politics/International: knowledge of the international
situation in a given area, and of the internal politics of states
within that area. May be for a broad area, such the entire known
world, or a more focused area, such as Europe. In the latter case,
the knowledge is more detailed. (Knowledge)
- Pottery: making pots, plates, bowls, etc., from clay.
Includes the ability to assess the value of other potters' work,
knowledge of good clay sources, etc. (Professional)
- Read Opponent: roughly estimating a given opponent's skill
level in combat. An exceptionally good result may even reveal a
particular combat "style," if appropriate for the setting. (Combat)
- Repartee: delivering witty sayings, usually double
entendres, which cannot be construed as libelous but carry hidden
insults or stings. (Social)
- Riding: riding and controlling a horse (or other riding
animal - specify) comfortably, safely, and with precision. (Athletic)
- Running: you practice a lot - better speed than non-
runners, as well as distance. (Athletic)
- Salesmanship: selling someone something. Opposed by
Willpower. (Social)
- Savoir-Faire: functioning smoothly, without social
blunders, in any upper or middle class setting. (Social)
- Seamanship: assisting in any task on a large sailing
vessel. (Professional)
- Shady Contacts: knowledge of the underworld, or, in a
strange city, at least general underworld habits and likeliest places
to contact fences, etc., without offending them. (Covert)
- Shield: using a shield or buckler in combat, both on
offense and defense. [Mediocre] (Combat)
- Shiphandling: directing seamen to correctly handle a large
sailing ship. Includes piloting and navigation skills. [Terrible]
(Professional)
- Shopkeeping: running a shop of some sort - knowledge of
basic bookkeeping, sources of materials, rotation of stock, general
prices, sales techniques, etc. (Professional)
- Sleight of Hand: manipulating small objects cleverly in
your hands so as to conceal what you are actually doing with them.
(Athletic)
- Sling: using a sling in combat. [Terrible] (Combat)
- Smithy: working metal into tools, weapons, ornaments, etc.
[Terrible] (Professional)
- Spear: using a spear in combat, but not including throwing
it accurately or powerfully. (Combat)
- Spear Throwing: throwing a spear powerfully and accurately.
(Combat)
- Sports, Various: each sport is a separate skill - hurling,
lacrosse, etc. (Athletic)
- Staff: using a staff as a weapon. (Combat)
- Storytelling: entertaining by recounting stories, either
from your past or from other sources. Storytelling without the
Performing skill is more likely to be successful in a bar or
other personal setting than in a professional setting. (Social)
- Streetwise: Savoir-Faire for the lower classes. (Covert)
- Survival: surviving in the wilds. Includes basic fire
making, food procurement, and shelter construction. Won't be fancy,
but you'll be alive. (Scouting)
- Swimming: moving yourself in water without danger of
drowning. (Athletic)
- Tactics: knowledge of the best way to arrange a group of
warriors so as to take best advantage of the situation, terrain, their
skills, etc. Also reading an opposing group's tactical sophistication
level. (Combat)
- Tailing: following someone without their noticing. Opposed
by Perception. (Covert)
- Tailor: turning cloth into clothes, as well as mending
clothing. Can also make other items out of cloth, such as tents.
(Professional)
- Teaching: imparting knowledge or skills to others.
(Professional)
- Team Acrobatics: working with others trained in this skill
to perform acrobatic maneuvers such as stacking, vaulting, trapeze
work, etc. (Athletic)
- Teamster: handling an animal or team of animals pulling a
wagon, carriage, coach, etc. (Professional)
- Thaumatology: the knowledge of magic spells, results,
abilities, etc. Does not require any Magical Ability, nor is it
required to perform magic. [No Default] (Knowledge, Magic)
- Theater: the skills and knowledge associated with the
theater: acting, directing, management of props, sets, the house, the
stage, etc. Not the same as pretending to be someone else offstage -
see Lie/Pretense for that skill. (Professional)
- Theology/Myths/Rituals: knowledge of a specific religion's
beliefs, dogma, and rituals. It may also be Comparative Theology, in
which case the knowledge is broader - covers more than one religion -
but shallower. (Knowledge)
- Throwing: throwing things accurately, but not specifically
optimized to do damage. That is, it's not a combat skill, though it
could be used as one, with -1 to damage-dealing ability. (Athletic)
- Tracking: following animals or sentient beings in terrain
where they might leave traces. Of limited use in urban areas, it is
more a nature skill. (Scouting)
- Trail Blazing: finding an optimum route through wilderness,
and marking your trail, either obviously or subtly. (Scouting)
- Two-handed Axe: using any two-handed axe designed as a
weapon. (Combat)
- Two-handed Sword: using any two-handed sword as a weapon.
(Combat)
- Urban Survival: the skill of the urban poor: where to find
free or cheap food, shelter and clothing; what parts of the city to
avoid, who not to offend, etc. (Covert)
- Ventriloquism: "throwing your voice" so as to make it sound
as if it comes from somewhere else. Also disguising your voice.
(Covert)
- Veterinarian: diagnosing and treating animal injuries and
diseases. (Knowledge)
- Weather Sense: predicting the weather for the near future.
(Knowledge)
- Weaving: spinning yarn from wool or plants, then making
cloth from yarn. (Professional)
- Whittling: carving wood into useful or aesthetic shapes.
(Athletic)
- Woods Lore: knowledge of woodland animals, plants, cycles,
etc. (Scouting)
- Zoology: knowledge of animal behavior, habits, diets,
capabilities, etc. (Knowledge)
There are six attributes in this Five-Point Fantasy system. The GM
may customize this list as she wishes - changing the attributes
included, adding or deleting them at will. The six included in this
customized version of Fudge are:
- Reasoning: Thinking ability; puzzle-solving; intelligence;
mental acuity
- Perception: Awareness of the environment; raw ability to
notice things
- Willpower: Strength of will; psychic stamina;
determination; guts
- Strength: Physical strength; lifting/carrying capacity;
ability to deal damage
- Agility: Physical dexterity; adroitness; native talent for
physical skills
- Health: Fitness; resistance to disease and injury; physical
stamina
All attributes start at Fair. Each character may take two free
attribute levels, either raising one attribute two levels, or two
attributes one level each. (The GM may allow more or fewer free
attribute levels - see Campaign Power
Levels.)
In addition, players may trade levels - that is, lower an attribute to
Mediocre in order to raise one other attribute one level, and so on.
Also, subject to GM approval, a character may raise an attribute by
taking an additional Fault, or by foregoing one of the two free
Gifts.
Conversely, a player may forego one of his free two attribute levels
in order to take an extra Gift - again, subject to GM approval.
Attributes are not linked to skills in this game, except in the following
sense: the player is encouraged to choose attribute levels which make
sense, given his skill list. For example, three or more points spent
between Combat, Scouting and Athletic skills means that the character
would logically be above average in Strength, Agility, and/or Health.
If the player decides not to raise at least one of these attributes above
Fair, he should have a good story as to why they are abnormally low.
Attributes are used for three things in the game:
- As very broad skills. There will be times in which no particular
skill listed in the rules is appropriate for the task the character is
attempting. In these cases, the GM will choose the closest attribute
and have the player roll versus the attribute (possibly at a
penalty).
- In certain opposed actions, such as attempting to sneak by a guard
(Move Quietly skill vs. Perception attribute) or a
swindle attempt (Con skill vs. Reasoning attribute) or
an attempt to strangle someone (Strength attribute vs.
Health attribute). The GM will think of other cases readily.
- As a broad handle on who the character is. A high Reasoning, low
Strength character has a different flavor from the opposite attribute
levels.
Each character may have two Gifts from the following list, or other
GM-approved Gift. In addition, for each Fault chosen beyond the first
two, the character may have an additional Gift. The GM may limit the
number of Gifts available from this method, as things can get a little
out of hand ... You may also gain a Gift, with GM approval, by
foregoing one of your free attribute levels.
Certain Gifts, marked with an asterisk (*) may be lost if
abused. Contacts, Favors Due, and Patron depend
on the goodwill of others, and it's possible to push them too far or
too frequently. Good Reputation can be eroded by inappropriate
behavior, and Rank can be lost if you break the rules of the
organization granting the rank.
- Ambidexterity: you can use either hand equally well. Great
for those times when you're wounded in an arm ...
- Attractive: you're good looking - either handsome,
beautiful, pretty, or whatever level you wish. (Warning: the more
attractive you are, the more power you have over susceptible people,
true, but the more likely you are to be abducted, etc.)
- Beautiful speaking voice: +1 to NPC reactions. Also works
for a singing voice if you take a Musical skill.
- Charisma: people tend to like you, believe you, and are
willing to follow your lead.
- Common Sense: when you are about to do something incredibly
stupid that will harm yourself or the party, the GM will warn you.
- Contacts *: you know some influential or knowledgeable
people who can supply you with information.
- Danger Sense: the GM will make a Situational roll - on a
Good or better result, you'll be warned of some imminent danger.
- Divine Favor: the ability to cast Clerical Magic - see Magic. [Costs two Gifts]
- Empathy with Animals: animals trust you and domesticated
ones tend to obey you. Cruelty to animals nullifies this Gift.
- Empathy with Sentient Beings: see Innate Magical
Ability: Second Sight.
- Familiar: only available to characters with Magical Power
or Magical Talent.
You have a magical familiar, which may talk, aid you in spell-casting
and other tasks. This is an NPC played by the GM.
- Favors due *: some people owe you favors, which you may
collect. Each favor you collect must be approved by the GM.
- Focused: you are at +1 to any lengthy task, but don't
notice things outside this task, such as that brigand about to skewer
you ...
- Good Memory: you have an unusually good memory. The player
may take notes during the game and act as if the character remembered
them.
- Good Reputation *: you're well known as a hero, healer,
leader, fighter for justice, etc.
- High Status: you are of the gentry or religious class - or
nobility if you take this Gift twice.
- Innate Magic: you have an inborn talent for a specific
magical ability. See Magic for details.
- Intuition: you have a feeling about what option to take
when confronted with a choice. The GM will make a Situational roll in
secret.
- Lucky: once per hour (real time), you may reroll a bad dice
roll, and choose the better of the two rolls.
- Magic Resistance: you are resistant to direct magic: +3 to
Willpower in any Opposed rolls versus magic.
- Magical Power: the ability to perform magical feats through
the study of Scholarly Magic. You may take multiple levels Magical Power.
See Magic for details.
- Magical Talent: the ability to perform magical feats through
Hedge Magic. You may take multiple levels of Magical Talent. See Magic for details.
- Never forgets a ____: fill in the blank with name, face, or
whatever the GM will allow.
- Never Gets Lost: you always know which way is North, and
can retrace your route with a little effort.
- Night Vision: you see well in dim light, but not in
absolute darkness, of course.
- Pain Tolerance: ignore wound penalties at Hurt, and you are
only at -1 at Very Hurt.
- Patron *: someone in power likes you. This can be simply a
letter of recommendation, or it can be a favor granted.
- Perfect Timing: if someone says to open the gate in five
minutes, you'll do it within two seconds of that time. Also valuable
in performing.
- Peripheral Vision: you can see further to the sides than
most people - less easily attacked from the side-rear.
- Quick Reflexes: not easily surprised by any physical
attack, and you adjust quickly to shifting footing.
- Rank *: you have the right to command others in an
organized body of soldiers or police.
- Rapid Healing: you heal twice as fast from wounds - but not
magically fast.
- Resistant to Poison: poison has only half effect on you.
- Tough Hide: subtract 1 from each amount of damage you take.
- Veteran: you're experienced - add one level to each of
three skills that are currently at Fair or Mediocre.
- Wealthy: you start with more money than the average
starting character. This can be in cash and/or equipment.
Each character must start with two Faults from the following
list, or other GM-approved Fault. In addition, each Fault chosen
beyond the mandatory two allows the player to choose an additional
Gift for his character, or raise an attribute one level,
subject to GM approval.
- Absent-Minded: your attention tends to wander if bored.
- Annoying Voice: you sound terrible.
- Appearance: your appearance is off-putting in some way,
whether ugly or unkempt.
- Bad Back: you are limited in what you can lift.
- Bad Eyesight: you don't see very well - pick one: poor
distance or up-close vision.
- Blunt and Tactless: you have no social skills in dealing
with sensitive people.
- Code of Honor: your actions are constrained by your
personal behavior code.
- Color Blindness: you confuse lots of colors.
- Combat Paralysis: you need a Good or better Health roll in
order to act in a dangerous situation.
- Compulsive Carousing: you are at -3 Willpower to resist a
good time.
- Compulsive Gambling: your are at -3 Willpower to resist a
gambling game.
- Compulsive Generosity: you are at -3 Willpower to resist
giving things away to those perceived to be needier than you.
- Compulsive Lying: you are at -3 Willpower to avoid lying
just for fun.
- Coward: you take very good care of yourself.
- Curious: you are at -3 Willpower to resist exploring
something new or unusual.
- Delusions: the world doesn't work the way you think it
does, in some important way.
- Dependent: you're responsible for someone unable to care
for themselves adequately.
- Duty: you must perform active duty a certain amount of
time.
- Dwarfism: you are very short for your race.
- Easily Distractible: did you say something?.
- Easy to Read: you give away your thoughts and feelings to
any who care to observe you.
- Enemy: there is someone who wants to kill, imprison, or
otherwise trouble you.
- Fanatic Patriot: your country, right or wrong.
- Frightens Animals: you have an aura that animals find
terrifying.
- Garrulous: you won't shut up.
- Getting old: and all that implies.
- Glutton: you're hungry.
- Goes Berserk if Wounded: you're a danger to your friends,
even.
- Greedy: you want more.
- Grouchy: you're usually irritated and try to spread the
mood.
- Gullible: -3 to Reasoning to believe an unknown "fact."
- Hard of Hearing: what?
- Honesty: you hate to break a law. See Truthfulness
for not liking to lie.
- Humanitarian: you help the needy for no pay.
- Idealist: you're not grounded in reality.
- Impulsive: you act before thinking.
- Intolerant: you hate a certain type of person.
- Jealous of Anyone Getting More Attention: you have to be
the star.
- Lame: you limp, which can affect speed and agility.
- Lazy: you work hard at avoiding work.
- Lechery: you're overly fond of the appropriate sex.
- Loyal to Companions: you won't abandon, cheat, hide
treasure from, etc., the party members. This one may be mandatory.
- Magic Susceptibility: you are at -3 Willpower to oppose
hostile magic.
- Melancholy: life is so sad.
- Miserliness: you hate to let it go.
- Mute: you can't speak.
- Night Blindness: you see poorly in dim light.
- Nosy: your neighbor's business is yours.
- Obese: you waddle.
- Obsession: you must do it, or have it, or whatever.
- Offensive Habits: too many to list. Some of the other
Faults listed actually fall under this category, such as Nosy,
Grouchy, Garrulous, etc.
- Offensive Odor: you stink.
- One Eye: you lack depth vision and can be blindsided,
literally.
- One Hand: it works overtime.
- Outlaw: you're wanted by the law.
- Overconfident: you know you can't fail.
- Owe favors: you owe someone favors, and they'll ask you for
them sometime.
- Pain Intolerant: you're at -1 if Scratched, -2 if Hurt, and
-3 if Very Hurt.
- Phobias: lots of these - you're at -3 Willpower to avoid
acting out of control in certain situations: snakes, darkness,
heights, cats, falling, crowds, spiders, open or closed spaces, magic,
loud noises, etc.
- Poor: you start with less equipment and cash, and if you
don't buy off this Fault, will always lose any you gain.
- Practical Joker: you can't resist. Somebody's gonna hurt
you someday.
- Primitive: you're from a pre-metal-working society.
- Proud: many things are beneath your dignity.
- Quick to take offense: you're thin-skinned.
- Quick-Tempered: you blow up when crossed.
- Quixotic: you vigorously champion lost causes.
- Reckless Bravery: you take no thought for your safety in
dangerous situations.
- Reputation: you're well known as some sort of louse.
- Secret: if it's revealed, you'll be embarrassed, arrested,
or worse - maybe that warrant out for your arrest, or your second
spouse?
- Self-defense Pacifist: you'll fight, but you'll never start
a fight - no preemptive strikes.
- Shyness: you never want to talk to strangers.
- Social Stigma: you're obviously from some low-caste group.
- Stubborn: you don't easily admit you're wrong. Has nothing
to do with Willpower.
- Susceptibility to Poison: you're at -3 to Health in Opposed
rolls for poison.
- Trickster: you regularly have to take a risk to thwart some
villain, even if just a petty one.
- Truthfulness: you can't tell a believable lie.
- Unlucky: if something bad happens to someone in the party,
it's you.
- Vain: you're the best-looking and/or finest person in the
world. Aren't your companions lucky?
- Vow: you're committed to some action.
- Worry Wart: you wring your hands a lot.
- Xenophobia: you dislike and fear people different from the
folks you grew up with.
- Youth: you're so young no one takes you seriously. Also,
lose one level each from three skills - you just haven't had time to
develop everything that well yet.
There are four types of Magical abilities in Five-point
Fudge:
- Innate Magic,
- Hedge Magic,
- Scholarly Magic
- Clerical Magic.
Innate Magic takes no study - it's a Gift you're born with,
possibly given to an entire race of beings, such as all Elves. There
are no skills associated with Innate Magic - just a Gift.
Hedge Magic and Scholarly Magic are both learned techniques,
but are handled differently, and are not interchangeable. Even though
these skills are learned, not everyone has the ability to perform these
types of magic - you must have the Magical Power Gift in order
to perform Scholarly Magic, or the Magical Talent Gift in order
to perform Hedge Magic.
Clerical Magic is actually performed by a deity through the
character.
Innate Magic
This type of magic may be appropriate for Faerie races, who have an
inborn talent for magic that has nothing to do with the learned magic
of human magicians. The GM may also permit a human character to have
Innate Magic.
Each Innate Magical power requires the Gift Innate Magic.
Each such Gift provides only one type of Innate Magic, taken from the
list below. The GM may ban some of these talents, or create others - ask.
Note that some types of Innate Magic have been listed as separate Gifts,
such as Danger Sense, Empathy with Animals, etc.
- Dowsing: you can find water in the earth.
- Eagle Eyes: you can see things clearly at a great distance.
- Fire-Starter: you can create fire, though not control it.
That is, you can cause something flammable to burst into flames (takes
three combat rounds for small items), but can't make fireballs or
direct the fire to spread in a given direction.
- Fortune Telling: you can see a possible future, as through
a glass, darkly. This only works on others, and never on events which
are important to you - your own future is always obscured.
- Green Thumb: plants respond extraordinarily well to you -
increased growth.
- Healing Hands: you can heal one level of wounds with touch.
This takes one minute and is fatiguing.
- Second Sight: you can see through illusions and "read"
general personalities. You can't read minds or know any details of
personality, but you'll know who to trust if you concentrate.
- Shapeshifter: you can change into one GM-approved animal or
plant form. It takes three combat rounds to change fully, during which
you are defenseless. [Costs two Gifts]
You don't need to spend any points on skills to have Innate Magic -
you only have to buy the Gift. No skill roll is usually required - the
talent is automatic, though may take time. Should it ever be an issue,
each talent is known at a Great level.
The GM should determine any innate magic abilities for non-human
races in her world.
Hedge Magic
(My thanks to S. John Ross, the true "Ace Mana Basher" of the
GURPS system, for this idea.)
Hedge Magic is the "peasant" version of magic: hedgerow witches and
village wizards concocting herbal potions, creating charms, nullifying
(or, alas, casting) curses, etc.
You may spend up to four points in the Hedge Magic group, but only
as many points as you have levels of the Magical Talent Gift.
That is, if you take only one level of Magical Talent Gift,
you may only spend one point on Hedge Magic skills.
The skill list for Hedge Magic follows, and is treated like any
other skill group. That is, one point spent in Hedge Magic allows you
to choose 3 skills at Fair and 1 at Mediocre - and so on for other point
quantities. Each skill is a mundane skill found in other skill groups -
if you learn it in the Hedge Magic group, there is no need to learn it
from another group.
You may use a mundane skill from this group without applying Hedge
Magic. But if you use Hedge Magic, you can accomplish more than you
could otherwise. Hedge Magic is not flashy magic - you'll never
see major magical effects from it. It's nonetheless effective in what
it tries to do.
Hedge Magic is fatiguing, however - your Health attribute drops one
level, temporarily, for each use. If your Health level falls below
Terrible, you are exhausted and collapse - treat as the fatigue equivalent
of "Incapacitated." A level of fatigued Health is regained simply by
resting 15 minutes. Another possible downside to Hedge Magic is that the
results may be perceived as magical, which, depending on the situation,
may get the caster in trouble.
The following mundane skills are the only ones which may be
enhanced by Hedge Magic, unless the GM permits otherwise. Those
without descriptions simply provide enhanced results.
- Animal Handling
- Astrology: fortune telling for other folk - grants no
inkling of your own future.
- Camouflage: if you don't want to be seen, you're very hard
to spot.
- Cooking: tasty, nourishing, mildly healing.
- Counseling: your sympathetic ear and wise advise can soothe
troubled souls.
- Craft: most of the craft skills, such as Pottery, Smithy,
Tailor, etc., allow you to make superior quality items more quickly.
These items are of exceptional quality, but are not really magic items
... or are they?
- Detect Lies
- Farming: a very common use of hedge magic, you can bless or
curse crops: increased yield, faster growth, etc. - or the opposite.
- First aid: you can stop bleeding with a touch, and enable
the severely injured to survive until appropriate care is available.
- Herb Lore: the archetypal hedge magic skill: preparation of
magical concoctions. While not as potent as alchemical elixirs, they
are quicker to make. Common potions include healing, sleep, love,
charisma, strength, endurance, etc. - ask the GM what's possible. Use
Poisons for harmful potions.
- Medicine: expeditious and efficacious healing.
- Move Quietly
- Poisons: your poisons are more potent, faster acting, and
harder to detect. Shame on you.
- Storytelling: you can enthrall an audience, and even sway
their mood to your purposes.
- Tracking
- Veterinarian: expeditious and efficacious healing. For
evil hedge witches, this is also the skill used to sicken animals, a
common complaint in former days.
- Weather Sense: you're remarkably accurate.
Scholarly Magic
Scholarly Magic is the "upper class" version of magic: sorcerers in
towers poring over ancient tomes, wizards roaming the world seeking out
creative spell-crafters and new sources of power, colleges of magicians
teaching apprentices while debating amongst themselves the merits of
this spell or that, etc.
The scholarly magic system is so large that
it is in a separate file, which can be found at the Grey Ghost playtest
web page.
Alchemy
Alchemy is a single skill, and can therefore be powerfully unbalanced.
Fortunately, alchemists are not usually adventurers, and a PC alchemist is
more likely to be able to recognize elixirs than have time and materials
to prepare them - because an alchemical elixir takes a lot of
time, equipment, and materials to prepare. A fully equipped alchemical
laboratory requires great wealth, which means either a high status or
patron to afford. Also figure an elixir takes months to prepare properly
(and are thus expensive, if they're looking to buy any ...).
In short, while the PCs may encounter elixirs, they probably won't
be making any. Nonetheless, a PC who learns the alchemy skill, with
a Gift of Magical Power is capable of making elixirs,
given enough time and materials. Those with the skill but without the
Gift can identify elixirs and determine dosages, but can't prepare them.
Given all that, the GM can have elixirs in the game which produce
any magical effect she wants.
Clerical Magic
The Gift Divine Favor is required to use Clerical Magic.
It's possible to play a priest without Divine Favor - simply
choose the Professional skill Counseling/Priest and assemble
an appropriate set of skills. But such a priest has no ability to use
Clerical Magic. Note also that you don't have to be an ordained priest
in any religion to have Divine Favor.
Skills available to a character with Divine Favor are divided
between the mundane and the supernatural. The supernatural are cast
strictly through the power of the God or gods served by the cleric -
see Calling on Divine Favor, below. If the cleric's behavior
is inconsistent with the God's desires, this ability is withdrawn,
at least temporarily.
Supernatural skills in the following list are detailed - any other
skill is mundane and uses the description in the Skill list above.
This list assumes a benign deity who grants free will and supernatural aid
to its followers in times of crisis. Other skills may be appropriate for
other types of clerics - plant magic for Druids, for example, and more
spirit magic for shamans. Evil clerics will have an entirely different
skill list - your characters should pray they never meet them ...
- Aid Task: by touching someone who is trying to accomplish a
task that is in the deity's interest, you can grant a +1 to their
skill.
- Arcane Lore
- Banish Spirits: you can force spirits and demons from
another plane to return to their proper plane.
- Bless: you can grant a +1 (or more, if the GM is willing)
defensive bonus to someone, which lasts until the next combat ends.
- Counseling/Priest
- Detect Lies: your ability at this is enhanced.
- Exorcism: you can force a spirit or demon which has invaded
a body or dwelling to leave.
- First Aid
- Healing: you can channel healing from the deity you serve.
- Medicine
- Oratory
- Parley/Negotiate
- Persuade
- Remove Fatigue: you can restore endurance to the weary.
- Repel Undead: you can ward off zombies, vampires, ghosts,
etc., from your presence.
- Teaching
- Theology/Rituals
- True Sight: you can see through illusions.
- Ward: you can protect a person or all within a room-sized
area from supernatural evil: spells, spirits, undead, demons, etc.
Calling on Divine Favor
When a cleric with Divine Favor calls on his deity, make
an Unopposed action roll against the specific Clerical Magic skill.
Certain actions may be Opposed, such as Exorcism, or Warding
minions of a hostile deity.
On a Good or better result, the cleric's petition for divine
favor is answered. For supernatural skills where exact results aren't
quantified (such as Healing), the better the rolled result, the
better the answer to the prayer. For example, a Good result may reduce
one wound by one level, while a Superb result might completely heal an
injured character.
On a Fair or Mediocre result, the favor simply isn't granted.
On a Poor or worse result, the deity may be angry with
the cleric. The GM should consider the character's recent actions,
especially in regard to the cleric's religious beliefs. If there are
any reasons for the cleric's deity to be less than satisfied with service
rendered, this is the time for that to become abundantly clear. If the
cleric's behavior has been exemplary (so far as the deity is concerned),
a failure simply means the deity was busy with other things or considered
the favor unimportant (or counter to its own desires) for some reason.
Modifiers: The GM can apply any modifiers she thinks
applicable. A +1 might apply if the petitioner has been a model devotee,
or the requested divine favor will further the deity's cause. A -1
might apply in the opposite cases, or if the most recent petition for
divine favor ended in a Poor or worse result.
The default power level of Five-point Fudge is near the
middle range of what different GMs want in their campaigns. It produces
potential heroes: characters above the norm in abilities and experience,
but not (yet) powerful heroes.
This middle range is deliberate, as it makes it fairly easy to
customize the rules up or down to suit most needs. So if the characters
created here seem too weak or too powerful to your tastes, this section
is for you.
More Powerful Characters
You have a few options to make more powerful characters using
Five-point Fudge. The most obvious is to grant the players
six-point characters (or even higher). You can do this with the existing
point descriptions as they are, or add a 5-point option, which looks like:
For Six-Point+ Characters Only:
--------------------------------
Points Spent
in a Group Skills at Level
--------------------------------
2 at Superb
2 at Great
5 3 at Good
4 at Fair
--------------------------------
Note: this option should not be used with five-point
characters, as there is a requirement that all characters must have
skills from at least two different skill groups.
Less obvious but probably better for the players is to give
them five-point characters with five free levels after character
creation, subject to GM approval. That is, once a player has made
a normal five-point character, he can then submit five skills to the
GM for approval to raise one level each. (Or, if the GM is willing,
a skill could be raised two levels, taking up two of the free levels in
one skill.)
The GM may veto certain skill raises, however - it can be unbalancing
to have too many Superb skills in a single character, for example.
It can also be unfair to the specialized fighters in a group if the
non-fighters are allowed to raise their combat skills to Great or Superb.
However, if the GM has a combat-intensive campaign in mind, this may be
the only way the party can survive...
See Balfo in Sample Characters for
a five-point character with five free levels (the recommended way to
create more powerful characters).
Another way to help characters is to allow them more than two free
attribute levels and/or more than two free Gifts.
Yet another way to help characters is to expand the Trading Skills possibilities. This option creates more
choices for the players, which can be good or bad, depending on your
players. It's good in that character creation becomes more flexible,
but bad in that the choices can overwhelm someone making their first
Fudge character. It's probably best not to use it for
your first character, and possibly not at all. If using this suggestion,
do not use narrowly focused Points and add the following rule to
the Trading Skills section:
You may also trade two skills of the same level for one skill at one
level higher (all skills involved must be in the same skill group).
For example, you could trade two Fair skills for one Good skill.
This type of trading, two skills for one skill of the next level higher,
is restricted, however: you may not do this more than twice in any
one skill group. The GM may set more severe restrictions, such as
no more than once per skill group, or no more than two such trades for
the whole character, whether in the same skill group or two different
skill groups.
Less Powerful Characters
If you are running a long-term campaign, you may wish to start your
players with less powerful characters, so they can experience development
through their own efforts.
The most obvious way to do this is to allow the players to have only
four-point characters. If you do this, do not allow anyone to
spend four points in a single skill group - each character should always
have skills from at least two groups.
Another way to reduce the power level is to disallow narrowly focused
points, as they are a cheap method of adding higher skill levels to
a character.
A further way to limit power, even with five-point characters,
is to disallow 4 points in a single group, or even 3 points. This means
a character will have a broad range of skills, but none of them very high.
This idea can be carried even further: allow a player to spend 2
points in a skill group, for example, but only if he spends them as
if he were spending points on two different groups. For example, a
player might spend one point on Combat Skills, taking three skills at
Fair and a fourth skill at Mediocre. Then he could spend another point
on Combat Skills, taking three different skills at Fair and an
eighth skill at Mediocre. Thus, the player would have spent 2 points
on Combat Skills, but would have 8 skills overall instead of six -
but have them at a lower level.
Yet another way to create less powerful characters is to reduce the
number of free attribute levels to one or zero, and/or to reduce the
number of free Gifts to one or zero.
Finally, you can select from the suggestions above and create your
own restrictions. For example, you might allow five-point characters,
not allow more than three points in any one skill group, grant them
only one free attribute level, and disallow narrowly focused points.
Or you might allow four-point characters, and not allow a player to
spend more than two points in any one skill. And so on.
Tagra in the next section is a sample four-point
character.
On the next few pages are some sample characters. These characters
were made in less than five minutes each, and are not intended
to be optimized or even to create a balanced party. They are
presented simply to show diverse characters that can be made quickly
and easily with the Five-Point Fudge system.
Note that Jimma, for example, has skills not listed above - this is
entirely in keeping with Fudge. If you can think a
skill your character would logically have, make a case for it to the
GM.
Faults in these characters marked with an asterisk (*) are
extra to balance either an additional Attribute level or Gift.
Balfo, a Halfling Scout
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Good
- Perception: Great
- Willpower: Fair
- Strength: Mediocre, Scale -2
- Agility: Good
- Health: Fair
- Gifts
- Night Vision
- Never Gets Lost
- Faults
- Halfling (Scale -2, +3 to Move Quietly Skill; worth two Faults)
- Humanitarian *
- Skill Groups:
- Scouting: 3 pts
- Athletic: 1 pt
- Combat: 1 pt (narrow)
- Skills:
- Scouting: 3 pts
- Observation: Great
- Tracking: Good
- Map Sketching: Good
- Woods Lore: Good
- Navigation: Fair
- Move Quietly: Superb [Fair +3 levels from Fault: Halfling]
- Survival: Fair
- Mimic Animal Noises: Fair
- Athletic: 1 pt
- Balance: Fair
- Climbing: Fair
- Throwing: Fair
- Swimming: Mediocre
- Combat: 1 pt
- Bow: Good
- One-handed sword: Mediocre
Note: to make Balfo a more powerful character by adding five
free levels, the GM allowed the player to change the following
skills:
- Observation: Superb
- Tracking: Great
- Mimic Animal Noises: Good
- Balance: Good
- Climbing: Good
Had the player asked, the GM would not have been willing to let the
player raise Balfo's Bow skill, an already narrowly focused
skill, as the campaign was not combat-intensive.
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Great
- Perception: Good
- Willpower: Good
- Strength: Mediocre
- Agility: Fair
- Health: Fair
- Gifts
- Wealth
- Never Forgets a Face
- Contacts
- Faults
- Obese
- Owe Favors
- Curious *
- Dependent (daughter Marga, age 7 - her mother is dead) *
- Skill Groups:
- Professional: 4 pts
- Scouting: 1 pt (narrow)
- Skills:
- Professional: 4 pts
- [The GM approved of adding skills from other groups; also, the
player traded one Fair skill for two Mediocre skills in this group]
- Barter/Haggle: Superb
- Jeweler: Great
- Evaluate Goods: Great
- Merchant: Good
- Knowledge of Trade Routes: Good
- Bluff: Good
- Fast-talk: Fair
- Etiquette: Fair
- Literacy: Mediocre
- Archaeology: Mediocre
- Scouting: 1 pt
- Observation: Good
- Move Quietly: Mediocre
Familla, a Diplomat/Spy
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Good
- Perception: Great
- Willpower: Good
- Strength: Mediocre
- Agility: Fair
- Health: Fair
- Gifts
- Beautiful Speaking Voice
- Attractive
- Faults
- Duty
- Ambitious
- Compulsive Flirt *
- Skill Groups:
- Social: 2 pts
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- General Skills: 1 pt
- Scouting: 1 pt
- Skills:
- Social: 2 pts
- Parley/Negotiate: Good
- Lie/Pretense: Good
- Flirt: Fair
- Fast-talk: Fair
- Persuade: Fair
- Etiquette: Fair
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Political Conditions: Fair
- Foreign Language (specify): Fair
- Literacy: Fair
- Geography: Mediocre
- General Skills: 1 pt
- Pick Locks: Fair
- Knife Throwing: Fair
- Climbing: Fair
- Scouting: 1 pt
- Move Quietly: Fair
- Observation: Fair
- Map Sketching: Fair
- Herb Lore: Mediocre
Andrea, a Shady type
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Great
- Perception: Great
- Willpower: Mediocre
- Strength: Mediocre
- Agility: Good
- Health: Mediocre
- Gifts
- Night Vision
- Magic Talent: Innate (Eagle-Eyes)
- Faults
- Quixotic
- Secret (wanted in another city)
- Skill Groups:
- Covert: 2 pts
- Professional: 1 pt (narrow)
- Combat: 1 pt
- Knowledge: 1 pt (narrow)
- Skills:
- Covert: 2 pts
- Move Quietly: Good
- Pick Locks: Good
- Shady Contacts: Fair
- Urban Survival: Fair
- Detect Traps: Fair
- Disguise: Fair
- Professional: 1 pt
- Gambling: Good
- Merchant: Mediocre
- Combat: 1 pt
- Throw Knife: Fair
- Knife: Fair
- Brawling: Fair
- Read Opponent: Mediocre
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Evaluate Goods: Good
- Literacy: Mediocre
Yarro, a Fighter
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Mediocre
- Perception: Good
- Willpower: Fair
- Strength: Good
- Agility: Good
- Health: Good
- Gifts
- Quick Reflexes
- Pain Tolerance
- Faults
- Blunt and Tactless
- Compulsive Carousing
- Proud *
- Skill Groups:
- Combat: 3 pts
- Athletic: 2 pts
- Skills:
- Combat: 3 pts
- One-handed Sword: Great
- Bow: Good
- Shield: Good
- Read Opponent: Good
- Tactics: Fair
- Brawling: Fair
- Knife: Fair
- Fast-Draw Sword: Fair
- Athletic: 2 pts
- Acrobatics: Good
- Climbing: Good
- Riding: Fair
- Swimming: Fair
- Move Quietly: Fair
- Balance: Fair
Pietro, a Wizard
Pietro has taken one less Attribute level than allowed to balance an extra
Gift.
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Great
- Perception: Good
- Willpower: Mediocre
- Strength: Fair
- Agility: Fair
- Health: Mediocre
- Gifts
- Magical Power (4 levels)
- Faults
- Jealous of others getting more attention
- Obsession: collect magic items
- Secret: Changed name to avoid Assassins Guild, who is still
looking for him *
- Skill Groups:
- Scholarly Magic: 4 pts
- General Skills: 1 pt
- Skills:
- Knowledge Spells: 2 pts
- Contact Mind: Good
- Scry: Good
- Announce Danger: Fair
- Language Mastery: Fair
- Memory: Fair
- Reveal: Fair
- Scouting/Outdoor Spells: 1 pt
- Climb: Fair
- Fire Mastery: Fair
- Light Mastery: Fair
- Enhance Senses: Mediocre
- Professional Spells: 1 pt
- Heal Injuries: Good
- Cure Disease: Mediocre
- General Skills: 1 pt
- Literacy: Fair
- Move Quietly: Fair
- Quarterstaff: Fair
Leonora, a Cleric
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Fair
- Perception: Good
- Willpower: Great
- Strength: Mediocre
- Agility: Fair
- Health: Fair
- Gifts
- Divine Favor (costs two Gifts)
- Patron: Adept of the Church
- Faults
- Lame
- Compulsive Generosity
- Duty to the Church *
- Skill Groups:
- Clerical Magic: 3 pts
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- General Skills: 1 pt
- Skills:
- Clerical Magic: 3 pts
- Bless: Great
- Aid Task: Good
- Healing: Good
- Ward: Good
- Banish Spirits: Fair
- Counseling/Priest: Fair
- Detect Lies: Fair
- Repel Undead: Fair
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Arcane Lore: Fair
- Medicine: Fair
- Herb Lore: Fair
- Literacy: Mediocre
- General Skills: 1 pt
- Riding: Fair
- Etiquette: Fair
- Veterinarian: Fair
Gruschka, a Hedge Witch
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Good
- Perception: Mediocre
- Willpower: Great
- Strength: Mediocre
- Agility: Fair
- Health: Good
- Gifts
- Magical Talent: Hedge Magic (3 levels)
- Faults
- Unattractive Appearance
- Loyal to Companions
- Getting Old *
- Skill Groups:
- Hedge Magic: 3 pts
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Scouting: 1 pt
- Skills:
- Hedge Magic: 3 pts
- Herb Lore: Great
- First aid: Good
- Medicine: Good
- Animal Handling: Good
- Detect Lies: Fair
- Basketry: Fair
- Storytelling: Fair
- Counseling: Fair
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Area Knowledge: Fair
- Arcane Lore: Fair
- Legends & Stories: Fair
- Theology/Myths/Rituals: Mediocre
- Scouting: 1 pt
- Woods Lore: Fair
- Move Quietly: Fair
- Survival: Fair
- Mimic Animal Noises: Mediocre
The GM started the characters at 4 points, with only one free
Attribute level and one free Gift. Only one Fault was required, and
narrowly focused skills were allowed. If Tagra were a 5-point
character, she'd have two points in Professional.
- Attributes
- Reasoning: Good
- Perception: Good
- Willpower: Mediocre
- Strength: Mediocre
- Agility: Good
- Health: Fair
- Gifts
- Beautiful Speaking Voice
- Faults
- Social Stigma: Wandering entertainer
- Skill Groups:
- Professional: 1 pt
- Athletic: 1 pt
- Social: 1 pt (narrow)
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Skills:
- Professional: 1 pt
- Performing: Fair
- Music (Voice): Fair
- Music (Lute): Fair
- Dancing: Mediocre
- Athletic: 1 pt
- Acrobatics: Fair
- Juggling: Fair
- Balance: Fair
- Sleight of Hand: Mediocre
- Social: 1 pt
- Storytelling: Good
- Fast-Talk: Mediocre
- Knowledge: 1 pt
- Legends/Stories: Fair
- History: Fair
- Foreign Language (specify): Fair
- Area Knowledge: Mediocre
This table, combined with the skill, Gift, and Fault lists, are all
you really need to make Five-Point Fudge characters
quickly and easily. Enjoy!