Character creation challenge day 25

 Day 25

System: B/X

Desired class: Dwarf (alternate: magic-user)

Ability scores rolled: 8, 9, 9, 8, 16, 6

Starting gold: 110 gp

This is probably a character most players would beg the DM to let them throw out and reroll, and many DMs would let them. Three low scores, no high prime requisites ... many would consider this a disaster of a character. And yet I'm going to flesh him out anyway, because even these scores have potential for fun. There's nothing I can do about that low Strength score, but that's not as big a deal as it might seem. A d8 roll nets him a big fat 8 hp, which bumps up to 10 with Con bonus. He may be weak, clumsy, and far from the life of the party, but he's hard to kill!

Hurgard Hammersong, 1st level dwarf

Strength 8 (-1 to melee attack and damage, -1 to opening doors)

Intelligence 9

Wisdom 9

Dexterity 8 (-1 to missile attacks, +1 to AC)

Constitution 16 (+2 hp per die)

Charisma 6 (-1 to reactions, max. retainers 3, retainer morale 6)

AC 4      Hit points: 10            Alignment: Lawful

Plate armor, battle axe, hand axe, backpack, standard rations, water skin, 12 iron spikes, hammer, grappling hook, 0 gp left.

Height: 3'11"        Weight: 155 lbs.        Age: 43

"Not quite good enough" is the story of Hurgard's life. He doesn't have the strong arm for smithing or the steady hand for gem-cutting, but he's as sturdy as an ox, and as steadfast. Somewhere there must be a place where a dwarf such as himself can be appreciated, and just maybe it's in the strange, unorthodox, topsy-turvy world of adventuring. At least he hopes so.

In the grand scheme of things, a -1 to hit and damage in melee is not really that great a handicap. With his battle axe, Hurgard is still hitting almost as often as average, only 10% less than someone with a 13-15 Strength, and dealing out up to 7 points of damage on a successful attack, which isn't too shabby. More often than not, when things go south, he's going to be the last man standing, too.