CharGen the super random way
Use the sections below to generate some or all of a characters' info. The idea is to roll (for instance) a set of physical characteristics, and then decide what race or combo of ancestries the character is. This works best if you're already pretty familiar with DnD 5e ancestries. Also, this is based on using the Ancestry and Culture expandion for DnD.
Click red text to roll the dice.
Physical Description
My height is:
| D12 | Feet |
| 1-3 | 3+ |
| 4-5 | 4+ |
| 6-11 | 5+ |
| 12 | 6+ |
Add 2d6 + d6/2 inches to this base.
My build is:
| 2D6 | Build |
| 2-3 | wispy |
| 4-5 | thin |
| 6-8 | average (human) |
| 9-10 | stocky |
| 11-12 | blocky |
My body shape is:
| 2D6 | Shape |
| 2-3 | skinny |
| 4-5 | willowy |
| 6-8 | average (human) |
| 9-10 | plump |
| 11-12 | fat |
My surface is:
| D120 | surface |
| 1-60 | skin |
| 61-90 | skin, with some extra hair (e.g. extra-big beard, mane, hairy hands/feet) |
| 91-100 | furred |
| 101-108 | scaly |
| 109-115 | feathers |
| 116-120 | other |
What kind of ears have I got?
| D12 | shape |
| 1 | Nubs |
| 2-6 | Rounded |
| 7-9 | a bit pointy |
| 10-11 | Pointy |
| 12 | so pointy |
My skin color is:
| D20 | Base color |
| 1-11 | Brownish |
| 12-15 | Pinkish |
| 16-18 | Greenish |
| 19 | Reddish |
| 20 | Roll again, twice |
If rolling twice, the first result is a tinge, the second is the base: e.g. greenish brown
My skin tone is:
| D6 | Tone |
| 1 | Very dark |
| 2 | Medium dark |
| 3 | Slightly dark |
| 4 | Slightly pale |
| 5 | Medium pale |
| 6 | Very pale |
Extras:
| D20 | appendage |
| 1-3 | Horns |
| 4-5 | Tusks or fangs |
| 6 | Claws |
| 7-18 | None of the above |
| 19-20 | Roll again, twice |
If rolling twice, and you get the same result both times, the characteristic is just bigger or more evident
Can you see in the dark?
| D6 | Darkvision? |
| 1-2 | yes |
| 3-6 | no |
For each non-human-standard feature (e.g. pointy ears, claws) subtract 1 from the roll
Sex and Gender
Physical sex
| D20 | primary sexual characteristics |
| 1-10 | male |
| 11-20 | female |
| D20 | secondary sexual characteristics |
| 1-10 | male |
| 11-20 | female |
If the result of the primary roll was male, subtract 9 from the secondary roll. If female, add 9. If the character is a native of fey, subtract 4 or add 4 instead.
If the two results are different, the character is intersex in some way. What that means is up to you-it could mean literally the difference in primary and secondary characteristics, or in the case of fey races, complete sex fluidity.
Gender
Choice! The first table below roughly approximates real-world incidence of nb and transness. The second table assumes that in a magical world, all change is easier, and all borders are softer.
| Option 1: Real-world stats | |
|---|---|
| D100 | gender |
| 1-49 | masc |
| 50-51 | enby |
| 52-100 | fem |
Subtract 27 if the primary sex roll was male, or add 27 if it was female. Subtract 18 if the secondary sex roll was male, or add 18 if it was female.
| Option 2: Magic! Fluidity for everybody! | |
|---|---|
| D100 | gender |
| 1-45 | masc |
| 46-55 | enby |
| 56-100 | fem |
Subtract 20 if the primary sex roll was male, or add 20 if female. Subtract 10 if the secondary sex roll was male, or add 10 if female.
Disabilities
Use the Limitless Heroics expansion to determine physical and mental disabilities, if any. (Starting out with LH: roll d20; if 1-4, you have one or more disabilities)
Origin
Where you come from, it's:
| D6 | Temperature |
| 1 | Hot |
| 2 | Warm |
| 3 | Temperate |
| 4 | Cool |
| 5 | Cold |
| 6 | Roll again, twice (seasons!) |
You hail from the:
| D100 | Geography |
| 1-7 | Hills |
| 8-14 | Mountains |
| 15-21 | Plains |
| 22-28 | Forest |
| 29-31 | Desert |
| 32-33 | Swamp |
| 34-45 | Riverside |
| 46-54 | Coast |
| 55-58 | Island |
| 59-60 | Ocean (literally in it) |
| 61-80 | Underground, and roll again to see what the surface is like |
| 81-100 | Roll again, twice |
Your home community is:
| D12 | Size |
| 1 | isolated (e.g. family/hermit) |
| 2-3 | Tiny (up to 300, e.g. village) |
| 4-6 | Small (300-1000, e.g. market town) |
| 7-9 | Medium (1000-8000, e.g. trading town) |
| 10-11 | Big (8000-12,000, e.g. city) |
| 12 | Massive (12,000-100,000, e.g. capital city) |
You grew up:
| D12 | Size |
| 1 | Destitute |
| 2-4 | Subsisting |
| 5-7 | Getting by |
| 8 | Comfortable |
| 9 | Well-off |
| 10-11 | Rich and/or noble |
| 12 | At the top of society |
Even more random detail!
For maximum chaos, use some or all of the This Is Your Life tables (scroll down). Prepare to rationalise the contradictory!
Background/Profession
Your background is:
| D20 | Profession/background |
| 1-5 | Martial |
| 6-9 | Criminal |
| 10-12 | Scholarly and/or Religious |
| 13-14 | Financial and/or Artisanal |
| 15-16 | Travelling |
| 17-18 | Performing |
| 19 | Agricultural (including fishing and hunting) |
| 20 | Occult and/or Mystical (ghosts, fey, and other whatnots) |
Roll 3 times on this table; either pick one, or combine however many of the results you want, to determine a background. For instance, martial + criminal could mean a bandit; scholarly + criminal could mean a forger, or a charlatan.
Sample backgrounds
These are some (not all) backgrounds that could fall under the results here.
Martial
City watch
Gladiator
Knight
Marine
Mercenary veteran
Pirate
Soldier
Urban bounty hunter
Criminal
Charlatan
Criminal
Investigator
Pirate
Smuggler
Spy
Bounty Hunter
Urchin
Scholarly/religious
Acolyte
Anthropologist
Archaeologist
Hermit
Sage
Lay helper
Financial/Artisanal
Clan Crafter
Guild Artisan
Guild Merchant
Smuggler
Travelling
Anthro/Arch
Far Traveller
Feylost
Folk Hero
Outlander
Sailor
Performing
Poet
Entertainer
Gladiator
Athlete
Agricultural
Hunter
Fisher
Farmer
Occult/Mystical
Feylost
Far Traveler
Haunted One
Undead
Know any magic? Martial training?
| D20 | Training |
| 1-7 | Martial Training |
| 8-9 | Both! (but just a little magic) |
| 10-11 | Neither! |
| 12-13 | Magic, but just a little |
| 14-20 | Magic |
If you have a martial background from the previous table, subtract 5 from your roll. If you have a religious, scholarly, occult, and/or mystical background, add 5 to your roll. These modifiers are cumulative.
If you use magic, your source is:
| D8 | Source of magic |
| 1-3 | A deity and/or fiend |
| 4-5 | Arcane knowledge |
| 6 | Weird machines |
| 7 | Nature, or all things generally |
| 8 | Yourself, you weirdo |
If you have martial training, it's with (roll once for each column):
| D8 | Weapon | Armour |
| 1-3 | Longsword, mace, or axe | Chain |
| 4-5 | Spear or polearm | Plate |
| 6-7 | Longbow or crossbow | Both |
| 8 | Roll again, twice | Neither |