Revised Chargen Info Part I

I’m working on paring down the information someone needs to pick a class and make his character. The shorter the better, because I plan to kill a lot of guys.

This is disordered but it’s pointing in the right direction. I’ll probably move a lot of the numbers to bullet points in a second section so players don’t have to think so much about them at first.

Elfs spot secret doors on 1-4 searching, 1-2 just walking by. They spot traps in the forest the same way. They are the only class that can cast arcane spells in white wearing armor. When lightly encumbered, elves move faster than any other of the common kinds. 

Dwarfs notice unusual stonework of any kind on 1-4 searching, or 1-2 just walking by. They have the cleave and the sweep abilities and fight well in formation with other dwarves, gaining a +1 to hit and +1 to AC when adjacent to one of their fellows. 

Men hear a faint sound 1 on 1-6; demi-men hear it on 1-2. 

Hobbits sneak on 1-4. They can hide indoors at the same rate and 1-7 on d10 outdoors. Sneaking is modified by Dex. 

A hobbit has quite good aim: when throwing weapons or using a sling, he gets +2 to hit. With other ranged attacks, +1. 

All demi-men have favorable saving throws. 

Elfs and dwarfs can see 60’ in total dark, but any light source spoils the effect. In practice, presume they can see in the dark away from humans and hobbits (because they don’t need light.) 

Men and Hobbits begin play knowing the Common language of the Realm. Elfs know Common, Elven and Sylvan. Dwarfs know Common, Dwarven and Undercommon. Each figure that has a spoken language also has the ability to speak its alignment tongue, which is magically bestowed upon them by the multiverse. 

Demi-men are generalists; they use their natural abilities. Men specialize in one profession. Their three choices are listed below. 

Clerics wear armor, perform miracles and wonders and can turn away undead. When encountering a monster he has not seen before, a cleric can make a roll-under INT check to see if he knows something about it from his studies. They only use blunt weapons. Anticlerics are the same, except they control undead and only use the dagger. 

Fighting-men have the most, and most-loyal followers. They are the only ones who can use the best magic swords. They are fearsome and fearless, have great combat senses, and have the critical hit ability. Since nobles are theoretically of the martial tradition, fighting-men are considered the most noble (or ignoble) of the adventuring types, lending to them social advantages not measured by number or dice roll. 

Magic-Users, or Wizards, cast arcane spells and can create magic items. They do not wear armor. They only use the dagger or quarterstaff, and will prefer one or the other depending on their guild affiliation: blue wizards use staff and white wizards use the dagger. They are the only class whatsoever that has access to sixth-level spells.