Zero-level Character Concepts

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jferngler
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Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by jferngler »

So I was in class and thinking of silly names for zero level adventurers, and I came up with these, and since I know better than to get too attached, I used a single word or appropriate phrase to give a general idea of who these folks are deep down.

Gal Darn - Liar

Ohm Gee - Coward

Sippu - Stalwart Woman (Since I don't normally play ladies, it's important to point out when she's a lady (whoa whoa whoa)

So forum-dwellers, what other ideas for characters have you been dreaming up?
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finarvyn
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by finarvyn »

One big thing to keep in mind is that each 0th level character gets a random profession and a random piece of equipment, and I think that this tends to define them a lot more than a term like "coward"; at least it does at the onset since you don't know which characters will survive or how they will act.

Once we had rolled up professions, that's when my players started to have the most fun with names. A few that come to mind offhand:
  • One dwarven blacksmith character stared with a hammer. He was named "Sledge."
  • One character had all 6 stats in the 9-12 range, so was +0 on every modifier. The player named him "Joe," as in "Average Joe."
  • A grave-digger with a shovel became "Spade."
  • A cutpurse became "Dirk."
  • Another cutpurse became "Robin."
You get the idea. At least, that's how we did it.
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Sunderstone
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by Sunderstone »

from my days way back in 2nd edition.


Ohcan Cheddarwood (stare at a bag of Doritos long enough when you are trying to think of a name for a new druid, read Ohcan backwards btw).
Sigh, the good old days.
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DCCfan
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by DCCfan »

Speaking of 2nd edition and high school my cousin created an amazon character and wanted to show her off. After reading the character sheet and learning all about how she was going to kick butt and take names I ran across her name. Ureathra I couldn't stop laughing because he was so serious about the character and she was named after a body part. True he added an A but still I couldn't stop myself from laughing. He was so POed at me... :lol:
"When creating your character,choose an ethical system that can justify nearly any fit of temper, greed, cowardice, or vindictiveness, for example, Chaotic Violent..."

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finarvyn
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by finarvyn »

Oh, I've done things like that quite by accident before. Sometimes I "steal" a name from somewhere and can't for the life of me remember where I got it, but then a player will say "oh, is this from...." and then I curse myself. Of course, I try to be mysterious and claim that there may be some similarities, but in reality I'm just absent-minded. :oops:
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DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975

"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
moes1980
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by moes1980 »

finarvyn wrote:One big thing to keep in mind is that each 0th level character gets a random profession and a random piece of equipment, and I think that this tends to define them a lot more than a term like "coward"; at least it does at the onset since you don't know which characters will survive or how they will act.

Once we had rolled up professions, that's when my players started to have the most fun with names. A few that come to mind offhand:
  • One dwarven blacksmith character stared with a hammer. He was named "Sledge."
  • One character had all 6 stats in the 9-12 range, so was +0 on every modifier. The player named him "Joe," as in "Average Joe."
  • A grave-digger with a shovel became "Spade."
  • A cutpurse became "Dirk."
  • Another cutpurse became "Robin."
You get the idea. At least, that's how we did it.
That is cool. looking foward to rolling up my first pcs and trying to name them!
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Stainless
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts

Post by Stainless »

There's always the good old village ice cream seller who levels up to become, "Conehead the Ice Cream Man"! :D
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andalite5
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts ?.

Post by andalite5 »

Some older ones I have saved if I ever need a group of NPCs:

Matth-pew: Regular church-goer
Matth-phew: Worrier (think C-3P0 anxiety)
Matth-hew: Dedicated stonemason (maybe a dwarf)
Matth-pewpew: Aggresive hunter (if possible in the setting then a gunslinger)
Mat Mobile
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Re: Zero-level Character Concepts ?.

Post by Mat Mobile »

I'm always judging so I don't often create characters.

But when I do (and my players too) I tell them to give them simple names once they do something cool. And then give them a "descriptive name" once they move up to Level 1.

For example: my dwarven miner, was named Donald once he did his first kill, and once he survived his first adventure, he became chaotic at first level and was re-named "Donald the Destroyer".
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