Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 26: USR

USR (Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying) is a simple roleplaying game that can be used for any genre.  The basics are simple, roll against a target number => succeeds or an opposed role.

 

Characters consist of three Attributes:  Action, Wits and Ego.  They also have Hits, indicating the amount of damage they can sustain.  Last, they have three Specialisms.  A Specialism is a skill, ability or area of knowledge characters have that will help them perform tasks.  In game, Specialisms are tied to a specific attribute and give a +2 to that attribute roll when the Specialism applies.

 

Character creation is straightforward.  The GM sets the parameters for the characters, mainly by choosing the genre.  You then assign a d6, a d8 or a d10 to the Attributes.  Determine your Hits.  Choose your Specialisms.  Pick appropriate gear and flesh out details as desired and you're done.

 

First, I'll try a pulp detective from the 30's.

 

Bobbie Oliver

Private Investigator

 

Attributes

Action: d8

Wits: d10 

Ego: d6

Hits: 8

EP: 0

 

Specialisms

Detective (W)

Medium Weapons (A)

Streetwise (W) 

 

And how about a space opera character?

 

Col Sarkett 

Space Smuggler

 

Attributes

Action: d6

Wits: d8

Ego: d10

Hits: 4

EP: 0

 

Specialisms

Charming (E)

Medium Weapons (A)

Spaceship Pilot (W) 

 

 

Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 25: The Pulp Hack

One of the things I like about The Black Hack is that it is a very flexible system.  It was originally used to emulate OD&D.  However, it has been hacked and modified to not only specific flavors of fantasy but also to entirely different genres.  Fantasy-wise, it's been used to not only emulate other flavors of D&D, such as B/X, but also S&S, weird fantasy and Tolkien inspired fantasy.  It's been used for horror, westerns, contemporary and different flavors of science fiction.  It has also been used for pulp.  Which is my focus today.

 

Today, I created a character using The Pulp Hack.  The Pulp Hack is based on the 1st Edition of TBH and takes its rules and changes the classes to fit the Pulp genre from the '30s.  It has classes like Adventurer, Private Investigator and  Masked Vigilante.  I created a Private Investigator.

 

 

 

 

Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 24: Quantum Starfarer

This month I've created a character for Classic Traveller with its full life-path character creation system.  I've also created a character for Retro Sci-Fi Rules with its abbreviated method.  Now, I am going to use Quantum Starfarer.

 

Quantum Starfarer is in the Cepheus Engine family but it is a very stripped down version.  Character creation is even more bare-bones that it is with Retro Sci-Fi Rules.  In Quantum Starfarer, a character does not have Characteristics.  No UPP.  Instead, a character consists of seven skills, Stamina, Lifeblood and a Trait.

 

You have 5 points to divide between the skills:   Combat, Knowledge, Physical, Social, Space, Stealth and Technical.  

 

You derive Stamina and Lifeblood from your Physical Skill.

 

You choose your Trait from a list.  Easy.

 

Basic mechanic is 2d6 + Skill => Target Number

 

Robert Sey

Combat 1, Knowledge 0, Physical 1, Social 1, Space 1, Stealth 0, Technical 1

Stamina: 8

Lifeblood: 16

Trait:  Ace (+2 Bonus to gain edge in vehicle combat)

Cr: 8000

100 Ton Scout Ship

Shotgun 

 

Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 23: Pax Gladius

Keeping with the Roman theme, today I present characters for the game Pax Gladius. 

 

Pax Gladius is from the line of 1PG games from Deep7.  They are intended to be pick up and play games for one shots or short campaigns.  I found the games via Broadsword, their sword & sorcery entry.

Each 1PG game has a page or two of rules explaining the rules and character creation, a character sheet with complete character creation and condensed rules, a page for the GM and then 5 or 6 one page scenarios.

 

The mechanic is 1d6 roll equal or under stat + skill.

 

I present a Roman Senator and his slave.  I realize that I made the Senator character too young to actually be a senator.  But maybe it is extraordinary times and he's pulling a Scipio Africanus. 

 

 

 

Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 22: Savage Worlds Weird Wars Rome

Weird Wars Rome is a Savage Worlds setting that brings horror to the ancient empire.  It tweaks the system to better fit it two the setting, adding appropriate edges and hindrances to character creation. It largely focuses on legionary characters, but not exclusively so.  You can play a gladiator type characters amongst others.

 

Weird Wars Rome is a horror game and the players fight evil magic and monsters bent on destroying the empire.  Many of the monsters are drawn from Classical mythology and from the cultures and people who fell under the sway of the Empire.  It is set in the time period that runs from the Second Punic War to the death of Marcus Aurelius and just beyond.

 

 

Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 21: WEG Star Wars 1st Edition Bounty Hunter

I've always wondered what it would be like if a bounty hunter joined the Rebellion.  He could work as a double agent of sorts.  He could pursue regular bounties most of the time while gleaning what information he could about Imperial forces.  Then, on occasion, nabbing important Imperial officers or officials and turning them over to the Rebels.  It would be a dangerous life.  A lucrative one, but dangerous.

 

 

Character Creation Challenge 2026 Day 20: Spellzard

Spellzard is a simulacrum game of Fighting Fantasy: The Introductory Role-Playing Game.  For those who don't know, the Fighting Fantasy RPG was an RPG based on the simple system used in the gamebooks that so many enjoyed in the Eighties and beyond.  The system has seen a resurgence in recent years as the simple foundation for other games.  Troika is perhaps the most prominent.  Spellzard falls into this category, too.

There are several changes to the game but the two most significant are the core mechanic and character creation.   FF and Spellzard only use d6.  The core mechanic for FF has to do with a characters Skill.  If you are performing a regular task, you throw 2d6 and try to roll equal to or under your Skill.  In combat, you roll 2d6 + Skill and try to beat your opponent’s roll.  In Spellzard, all rolls are 2d6 + Skill => 14 to succeed or higher than your opponent’s roll.

Character creation is changed significantly but it is still simple.  FF has you roll for Skill, Stamina and Luck and, with a little gear, you’re ready to rock-n-roll.  With Spellzard, you still roll for Stamina and luck.  You then choose a class, either Adventurer or Wizard.  This determines your potential Skill level and the number of Special Skills your character can have.  If you choose Skill level 8 for your Adventurer, you receive 1 Special Skill; 7 you receive 2; and 6 you receive 3.  A Wizard starts with a Skill of 7 and the Spellcasting Special Skill or Skill 6 and the Spellcasting Special Skill and one other Special Skill.

There is a restriction on Skill tests though:

If you do have the Special Skill for the task being tested, you make a Skill Test. But if you don’t have the relevant Special Skill, you make a Luck Test instead.

Special Skills are abilities such as Athletics, Healing, Repair and Strength.

Spells do not have levels, but the Wizard must pass a Skill check to succeed and there is a Stamina cost associated with each spell.

You can choose a race but this only has an effect if the GM wants it to.

 

Spellzard Character Sheet
Name	Robert Rednose
Race/Class	Human Adventurer
Skill	Stamina	Luck		Inventory/Spell Slots
7	19	11
				1 Dagger (1/2 slot)
Special Skills
Athletics				2 Adventure Gear (3 Slots)
Notice
				3 Provisions 6
				4 Axe (1d6) (1 slot)
				5 Light Armor (2 Slots)
				6
Money				7
11 GP
				8
Advances
				9
				10