Random Character Creation System (Long)

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I have put together an in-depth random character creation system to help me get the most out of my Skyrim experience. I like to slow-play my characters, doing a lot of roleplay and adopting immersion rulesets. This creation system helps me jump into new roleplays that I wouldn't have ordinarily attempted.

What you need to get started: regular dice, RPG dice, a dice app on your smart phone, or a random number generator. For the purposes or this discussion, I will assume that you will be using 2 six sided dice.

Overview: This system will select a race, occupation, primary virtue, primary flaw, main talent, current occupation, and starting location for your character.

Race: Roll two six sided dice.
1-not possible
2-roll again
3-Altmer
4-Argonian
5-Bosmer
6-Breton
7-Dunmer
8-Imperial
9-Khajit
10-Nord
11-Orc
12-Redguard

Primary Virtue: Roll one six sided dice.
1-Valour - seeks knowledge and self-improvement via skill books and spell tomes
2-Charity - donates to beggars and temples; does favors for friendly NPCs
3-Patience - attempts to solve problems diplomatically via speechcraft or calming spells
4-Temperance - does not use drugs (skooma, moon sugar, Sleeping Tree Sap); eats and drinks in moderation
5-Diligence - does not steal or loot the dead; has a non-violent, honorable occupation
6-Kindness - does not harm or steal from friends or neighbors; only harms "evil" NPCs

Primary Flaw: Roll one six sided dice.
1-Pride - selects boastful speech options, obsessed with achieving 100 in a skill by any means necessary (crime, exploits, etc)
2-Greed - hoards septims and one or two other miscellaneous items; has a goal of a certain level of wealth
3-Lust - easily seduced by Daedra and other bad influences of the opposite sex
4-Gluttony - uses drugs, food, and alcohol excessively
5-Wrath - quick tempered and always resorts to violence; may kill or assault NPCs for petty reasons
6-Envy - obsessed with gaining the same power or status of an existing NPC (guildmaster, thane, Jarl, etc)

Main Talent: Roll one six sided die and choose two of the three skills as primary skills. Roll twice if a secondary talent is desired.
1-Strength - two handed, heavy armor, smithing
2-Wisdom - restoration, destruction, conjuration
3-Intelligence - lockpicking, alchemy, enchanting
4-Charisma - speech, illusion, alteration
5-Agility - one handed, block, light armor
6-Mastery - archery, pickpocket, sneak

Current Occupation: Roll two six sided dice.
1-Not possible
2-Assassin
3-Alchemist
4-Blacksmith
5-Chef
6-Farmer
7-Fisherman
8-Hunter
9-Merchant
10-Miner
11-Soldier
12-Thief

Starting Location: Roll two six sided die (note: Whiterun and Riverwood are omitted from the list). This will be either your home base or your first destination after the Helgen tutorial.
1-not possible
2-Falkreath
3-Ivarstead
4-Karthwasten
5-Kynesgrove
6-Morthal
7-Markarth
8-Riften
9-Solitude
10-Winterhold
11-Windhelm
12-Other (Darkwater Crossing, Rorikstead, Shor's Stone, or Stonehills)

To demonstrate, I will roll a character using this method and brainstorm some ideas for my corresponding playthrough:

Race: Bosmer
Primary Virtue: Diligence
Primary Flaw: Gluttony
Main Talent: Strength (Two handed, heavy armor, smithing)
Current Occupation: Farmer
Starting Location: Winterhold

Brainstorming: This character roll brought up some atypical combinations (two handed weapons for a Bosmer, a gluttonous personality combined with a low-wage occupation). Perhaps this Bosmer has been sent to Skyrim by his tribe in Valenwood to learn about smithing, two handed combat, and farming. Maybe every tribe sends out one of their own to another province to bring back three gifts of knowledge to the tribe. Because of the green pact, tribes in Valenwood do not farm their own ingredients, so they typically send one of their own out to learn about farming and set up a farm near the Cyrodil border to import agricultural goods into Valenwood. This particular Bosmer, although naturally gifted in archery like virtually all wood elfs, was the strongest of his tribe, so he was selected to learn the art of the warrior. While he is not particularly interested in the arcane arts, he does want to tour the College of Winterhold, which is why he selected Winterhold as his destination. To gain entry into the college, he will help the farmers in Windhelm and Kynesgrove until he has enough coin to buy a spell tome that will get him past the college entrance exam. Because of his gluttonous personality, he will always spend gold or trade valuables with drug dealers he encounters on the roads. He has also developed a taste for ale and spiced wine, and will buy and drink every unit in stock when visiting an inn. These expensive habits will likely force him to turn to smithing and/or the Companions for gold, but he will always first look for work on a farm whenever entering a new city or hold.

What do you think? How can I improve this system? Anyone out there thinking of giving this a shot? Please leave a comment.

UPDATE: I've added motive, fears, and interests to this system in the replies to this thread. Scroll down if you want to see those additions.
 

Kryptic

Member
Make solitude a starting option or am I just blind
 
Make solitude a starting option or am I just blind

You're right, good catch. I think I omitted Solitude because one of my first characters spent loads of time there, and I wanted to avoid it on subsequent playthroughs. I will edit the original post, relegating poor Rorikstead to the "Other" category.
 

Kryptic

Member
Thank you, I hope to get solitude as I have yet to start a playthrough there!
 

Muart

Fus.. RO DAH!
I've got a Dunmer who seeks knowledge, drinks a lot, has wisdom (restoration destruction), is a thief, and starts off at Markarth.

o_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_O
 

Wishmaker1234

Speaker to the Dazed
I have a Breton who is charitable and greedy, good at sneak and pickpocket, is a merchant, and starts out in Markarth. Wow this could be very a very interesting play through like Robin hood. I'm going to generate like 6 more, and see which one I like the most.
 
I made this guide quite some time ago, and the one I use personally has been expanded to include fears and interests/hobbies.

Fears: Roll two six sided die.
1. Not possible
2. Bears
3. Daedra
4. Draugr
5. Falmer
6. Ghosts
7. Spiders
8. Spriggans
9. Trolls
10. Vampires
11. Wisp Mothers
12. Other (Dungeons, Magic, Necromancy, etc)

Interests; Roll two six sided die
1. Not possible
2. Agriculture - Learns from farmers and alchemists; collects plants and fungi for alchemy; interested in adding a garden to your home
3. Architecture - Studies the structural design of buildings, forts, houses, keeps, and ruins. May be obsessed with Dwarven or Nordic ruins.
4. Beastiary - Collects Herbane's Beastiary books and studies the habits and dwellings of Skyrim's creatures
5. Barter and Economics - Worships Zenithar, seeks/makes haggling potions, imposes rules and restrictions on what can be traded with merchants.
6. Culinary Arts - Samples and rates the food and drink at various inns. Invents new recipes. Plans lavish meals that incorporate alchemy ingredients (venison smothered in troll fat, snowberry jam, etc)
7. Fitness and Exercise - starts each day with a morning sprint, works out at sawmills (lifting logs, chopping wood), swims regularly
8. History - collects books on history and takes on quests pertaining to historical events
9. Horseback Riding (for pleasure) - takes horseback rides at sunrise or sunset when relaxing in a town or village.
10. Mountain Climbing - obsessed with climbing Skyrim's highest mountains
11. Politics - interested in people's opinions about the Empire, the civil war, and political figures in Skyrim
12. Theology - studies Aedric and Daedric religions
 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Well I followed this to see what I'd come up with..

Imperial
Charity
Pride
One-handed, Light Armour, Destruction (so, a spellsword :p)
Miner
Morthal (Stonehills is the closest to Morthal, so I'd be there I suppose)
Fears vampires
Likes history

Sounds difficult at first, but I gave it 30 seconds thought and came up with..

Great War veteran, ex-Imperial Battlemage of low rank, employed by Thane Bryling of Solitude to look after the mine and ensure everyone does their job. Has become a miserly old goat after so long watching over others, and has an air of superiority after studying history in his youth in Cyrodiil. Despite his mean-spirited ways to his inferiors at work, he sees himself as a good person and feels compelled to donate to the temples of the Divines, after studying their influence on history. Attends scheduled meetings at the Blue Palace to speak to Bryling about the mine and other affairs, and is asked to look into a certain menace nearby at Pinemoon Cave, but isn't told about the potential vampire threat. Checks out the cave, and nearly meets his death barely scrabbling back into the cleansing sunlight. Goes straight back to Solitude at cuts all ties to Bryling and Solitude, and gets as far away as possible during the war-time restrictions on border crossing for anyone unexpected, to Riften. He is eventually approached by a member of the Dawnguard while he is still looking for some permanent work, being too prideful to work for the scheming Black-Briars, will these damnable vampires never leave him alone?!

I actually really like this, maybe he'll find his way into a playthrough, after all :p

kyleekay , I'm only tagging you here to show off :p

EDIT: I got Lost Love for your newest additions Porchdrinker , so I would add to my storyline that...... The character once loved to learn about history, and myths and legends before his duties with the Legion took over his life, so he seeks old tomes to read, and maybe form a small band to have some adventure :)
 
I've added a new element: motive for coming to Skyrim. This is to help inspire a deeper kind of roleplay experience.

Motivation: roll two six sided die.
1. Not Possible
2. Research: you came to Skyrim to learn about a specific topic unique to the region
3. Mystery: you are looking for clues about the sudden death of a friend or family member
4. Vengeance: you crossed the border to find and kill the person who murdered a friend or family member
5. Family Heirloom: you are searching for a weapon or piece of jewelry that once belonged to your family
6. Exile: you were cast out of your home region due to a crime or allegations of a crime
7. Redemption: you are trying to right a wrong you committed in the past
8. Recovery: you suffered from a debilitating disease or injury that caused your skills to diminish. You came to Skyrim to train yourself back to strength.
9. War: you came to Skyrim specifically to join the Stormcloaks or the Empire
10. Love: you are trying to locate a lost love, who could be alive and well or long dead
11. Pilgrimage: you came to see the shrines, the temples, the Gildergreen, or to collect Daedric artifacts
12. Wealth and Power: you are seeking power (Thanehood, guild leadership, etc) and/or money (jewels, houses, gold).
 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
So, I tried this again and was given a selection of details to start with. :)

Dunmer
Diligence
Gluttony
One Handed, Block and Speech
Soldier
Kynesgrove
Fears Falmer
Politics
Redemption

A member of the old House Redoran army that took matters into it's own hands following the Oblivion Crisis and Argonian invasion, this Dunmer was young and foolish then, often drinking himself stupid when off duty. He had been partly responsible for a group of refugees trying to escape their deaths at the hands of the Argonians, but many of them had been lost when their party was ambushed by some Falmer from a nearby cave. The soldiers had gone in after them, only to find a massive network of tunnels and caves which was like a whole other unknown world. He fought valiantly alongside his comrades and superiors for hours, but as more and more men fell they had no choice but to flee for their own lives.

As a result of all the death and destruction he had seen and been a part of, he slowly dwindled into drink and even drugs, scraping a living in Kynesgrove as nothing more than a common miner after being relieved of his duties with the army after the deaths of so many under his protection. For decades, he lived in guilt and remorse for what happened, seeking solace in intoxicating substances, until the night he remembered the values of House Redoran, and vowed to regain his honour and skills to assist the Dunmer he is still able to help. He starts his return as practically a beggar, with no items of note and not a great deal of money.

Living close to Morrowind, he has been able to stay up to speed with affairs in his home province, but has little desire to return to the place that ruined him and holds so many terrible memories. His proximity to Windhelm, though, has meant he has always taken a passing interest in the Great War, and the Civil War which threatens to break out across Skyrim. Despite his distaste for Ulfric's treatment of the Dunmer, who class themselves as superior (yet tolerant) of men, he has little mind to join the Legion after the way they abandoned his people at the turn of the Era. So instead, he joins the Dawnguard, who at least appear to be acting in the interests of others, rather than themselves.

Work with the Dawnguard is generally slow, due to their low numbers and developing network of intelligence and influence, so the Dunmer checks back for work every couple of months between his other travels. Those other travels include, in particular, the vanquishment of bandits and fell wizards from areas where the Dunmer are prevalent, namely Eastmarch and the Rift. He also makes a brief foray to Winterhold, to brush up on his basic Illusion and Restoration skills, although he chooses not actively take part in any college activities.

During a visit to Windhelm he speaks to Ambarys at the Cornerclub, who suggests that he head over to Solstheim and aid the House Redoran officials there. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of this before? Maybe he would even find some of his old comrades there, and be able to make amends for his traumatic past. On the island, he meets Teldryn Sero of Blacklight, a House Redoran city, and recruits him as his companion.

:D

I love this system Porchdrinker, both of the characters I've posted have a real chance of getting some full RP playthroughs!
 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I'm now addicted to this, and have removed characters of my own creation from my 'yet to play' list, to make room for the ones I have created with this system.

I tried again, and came up with this:

Nord
Diligence
Lust
Sneak, Archery, Pickpocket
Hunter
Winterhold
Fears ghosts
Interested in barter/economics
Exile

This Nord is an exiled member of the Riften Thieves Guild. After refusing to loot burial urns and chests in a Nordic ruin and botching a series of jobs elsewhere, he was on his final warning before he made 'inappropriate' moves on both Vex and Sapphire during a particularly drunken night at the Ragged Flagon. He received a pretty severe beating from Dirge and Thrynn, before being thrown out of the cistern and out into the Ratway. He was warned never to return to Riften, or risk a sword across his throat, so he travelled alone, out of the reach of the Guild and their lackeys. For the last few months he has been trying to earn a living as a simple hunter on Skyrim's northern coast, hunting Horkers and other animals for their pelts, tusks and meat. He rests at a camp he found abandoned, and nobody has returned since, and this is where he stores his belongings and his spoils from hunting. Once every week or so, he makes a trip to Winterhold, Dawnstar or Windhelm to sell his wares, or sells what he can to other hunters he meets when the weather is too dire to travel.

Eventually, he travels further and further west, and then south, until he sets up another camp not far outside of Morthal - a place in which the Guild has little or no interest, and no representatives to pester or assault him. He then travels and hunts between Dawnstar and Morthal, slowly progressing to bigger and more dangerous game.
 
AS88:
I'm glad the system is working for you. You are obviously amazing at coming up with well thought-out backstories, and I'm pleased that this guide has inspired you. I really like the Dunmer and Nord characters you've created and posted thus far.

If you have any other ideas for tweaking or improving the system, let me know.
 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
If you have any other ideas for tweaking or improving the system, let me know.

Maybe odds and evens for Male/Female? That's literally all I could come up with :)
 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Damnit, I did this again :p (I'm also making sure this is bumped, everyone should see this)

Altmer
Diligence
Envy
Illusion, Alteration, Speech (Enchanting)
Miner
Solitude
Fears Spriggans
Enjoys horse riding
In Skyrim due to exile

An old representative of the Thalmor, Anderil worked as a negotiator and intermediary during the takeover of Valenwood early in the 4th Era. He was often deployed during coups, both minor and major, until he decided he wanted to leave service with time left to live his own life. He lived for the goals of the Thalmor, but many more could do his job, and so he was allowed to be honourably dismissed by one of the highest-ranking Emissaries in the Dominion. For over a hundred years he worked as a mining boss, scouting for ore with his own personal team of miners. Other miners were just as capable, but these had been sworn to secrecy over Anderil's methods. His mines were closely guarded, and despite the fact that Anderil only ever mined iron, his veins always seemed to lead to gold eventually, and lots of it. He had amassed wealth at such a pace, many revered him, and more envied him. After decades of success, Anderil was confronted by one of his own rivals who wanted to know his secrets. Things got out of hand, and although there was never any formal investigation into the man's death, it was common knowledge that Anderil had played a part in it.

Time passed, and attempts to shut down his operation came from many angles. Bandits, mining rivals, even the Empire all lusted for Anderil's secret, but he told nobody and continued. His main motive for all this was his childhood, although he had been bred as 'a superior mer,' he had been orphaned early in his life and as such was not given the richest of upbringings like many of his comparators. This caused him to be jealous and envious, particularly of financial sway.

Soon enough, his operations in Cyrodiil were halted when he was arrested for his suspected involvement in Skooma trafficking. He employed several Khajiit due to his links with the Thalmor, and rumours had spread until false evidence had been planted to take him out of the mining game in Cyrodiil. Despite his arrest, the influence of the Thalmor earned him a quick release, on the condition that he be exiled to Skyrim. Thus, he boarded the next fine boat to Solitude, Skyrim, where the miners are strong and the politicians are stupid and easily influenced.



This build is pretty much a miner - but RPd to be a prospector with his personal bodyguards. After making a few influential friends in Solitude, Jarl Siddgeir will invite him to live in Falkreath due to his love of wealth and lust for financial influence in Skyrim, so Anderil will build a small palace at Lakeview Manor with the earnings from Transmuting iron ore into gold, and selling the gold either as ingots or as jewellery (sometimes enchanted). Once all the iron from Falkreath and Whiterun has been mined I'll head to Markarth, and RP some secret meetings between Jarl Igmund, Ondolemar and Anderil, attempting to cut the Silver-Bloods out of their colossal power over the Reach by allowing Anderil to have free roam across the mines in return for the head of every Forsworn he comes across and a nice share from his profits. During his time in Markarth, he also chances upon another possibility for easier coin - smelting Dwemer metal.

In combat, he'll mostly rely on his guards to do the dirty work, after casting off a few illusions. Other quirks include a penchant for brewing magicka regen potions, a fondness for a fine drink, and a guarantee that he will always use the "bribe" option for speech checks.

:D
 

Neveraine

BRINGER OF DEATH
What happens if you get temperance and gluttony which fully contradict each other?
Can you re-roll if you get something that contradictory or do you have to make a crazy story for it?
 
What happens if you get temperance and gluttony which fully contradict each other?
Can you re-roll if you get something that contradictory or do you have to make a crazy story for it?

You could re-roll if you get something that doesn't make sense, but I always try to make it work. With regard to temperance and gluttony, think of a recovering alcoholic or drug addict who abstains from drugs or drink, but falls off the wagon every once in a while for a legendary binge. That's how I'd play it. Clint Eastwood's character in the movie Unforgiven is a classic example. He starts drinking and killing again after a long period of abstinence.
 

Saozig

Hippy
Cool. When next I get the chance, I'll have to start a new game with my charitable, lusty, intelligent Nord fisherman from Solitude who's terrified of Daedra, enjoys horseback riding and came back to Skyrim to recover from a nasty bout of something he caught while in port in Daggerfall--it's too embarrasing to talk about but, hey, he's a lusty felllow and the fisherman's life can get wee bit lonely at times! Don't judge him! Thankfully he's gots smarts so after he makes some coin and collects some ingredients he can probably whip up a cocktail to completely cure him of his, um, "intimate issue".
 

Mannulus

Article Writer
Very creative system you got here. +1 Creative Brush. ;)
 

Wildroses

Well-Known Member
I kind of cheated, I want to roll a character soon to just get the hang of playing with certain mods before starting a major roleplay journal keeping character that is going to eat lots of time I don't have right now. I just got a realistic wildlife loot mod and wanted to play a hunter to see how it goes. So I pretended I rolled hunter for occupation. But the rest I did properly.

Breton
Diligence
Wrath
Hunter
Intelligence - lockpicking, alchemy, enchanting
Other - Rorikstead
Fears Spriggans
Interested in Theology
In Skyrim to recover from injuries.

Joslin Woodwing comes from a family of hunters, and picking up a different profession didn't occur to her. She picked up alchemy and enchanting purely because she sees them as extensions of bringing down game (poison and powerful weapons) and to compensate for the fact she is not especially good with bows or blades (perkless) and couldn't make or improve weapons or armor if her life depended on it. Because of her intelligence, she does want to discover all the alchemical effects and new enchantments purely for the sake of knowing rather than any practical reason. Lockpicking is something she enjoys the challenge of purely for it's own sake. She's terrified of Spriggans because they injured her badly and killed her parents on a hunting trip. She came to Skyrim as she heard it has a lot of deer and they seemed nice safe things to hunt for a recovering hunter who had to spend all her money paying for her recovery (the fact Skyrim has sabrecats, bears, wolves and more Spriggans is going to be a terrible shock). Rorikstead is her home base she keeps returning to as she has fallen deeply and desperately in love with Erik. She'll be wearing low cut hide and fur armor around Erik, showering him with enchanted gifts when he's a follower and building a hearthfire home purely to impress him before proposing, being unaware all she had to do to attract Erik's attention was talk to his father and hire him wearing whatever the hell she liked.

Joslin's interest in theology is going to work well with her being a hunter as she'll be making pilgrimages to visit every single temple and shrine in Skyrim, effectively combining business and pleasure. Any quest given to her by a priest is going to become a priority, and she'll certainly start every daedric quest. I don't think she'll finish all of them though, as the fact her diligence makes her refuse to steal or loot dead bodies indicates she has quite high and strict moral standards. Her wrath means she has a quick temper and a tendency to get into fistfights she instigates, but murder is something Joslin wouldn't deliberately commit.

It'll be an interesting playstyle. Diligence and enchanting don't go well together as I find most of my new enchantments and soul gems on dead enemies. I'm going to have to buy them all, how expensive. Building hearthfire homes aren't cheap either and she's certainly going to want to hire Erik lots and lots, but diligence means she can't steal. I can't see her joining a guild as she'd find guild work a little stifling. It wouldn't give her the freedom to hunt wherever she wants and visit temples and shrines. If alchemy and hunting won't give her the cash she needs (which it may, I'm not sure) I imagine she'll be doing a lot of quests for NPCs. I've never actually played as a wrathful character either. Gamewise I'm very meek and mild tend to smile timidly whenever Nazeem asks if I've been to the Cloud District or I get called a milk-drinker. But no longer, I guess...Hmm. This might mean I get to bash up Nazeem of the Could District lots, attack the Battle-Borns when they harrass Fralia, and go berserk when the Black-Briars make snide remarks. Maybe this will be fun! I predict Joslin will be getting an awful lot of fines for assult, another gold-sink for a diligent enchanting character. A petite Breton woman who brawls all the time. Self preservation is apparently not one of Joslin's defining characteristics. Wrath means she'll always go for intimidate options, but I bet they don't work well for her.
 

AS88

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Well, after coming up with;

Breton
Charity
Gluttony
Conjuration, Destruction, Archery
Fisherman
Riften
Fears Vampires
Interested in history
Recovery

I've completely overhauled my backstory for one of my most favourite builds - Gorlas, my Witch Hunter/Dawnguard. His story now suits a much longer playthrough, and gives him lots more challenging and interesting aspects for me to work with. Thanks again, Porchdrinker :)
 

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