Simple character creation

Creating a character for Fallout using the Simple system is fairly similar to many other pen and paper systems. It involves allocating primary statistics, establishing secondary statistics, then calculating derived statistics and allocating points. The final stage, equipment selection, is always performed in close cooperation with the Overseer.

Please note that this section does not cover the very important Background and Personality Creation that should occur in any campaign oriented around role-playing.

Allocating Primary Attributes
As you will find in the Primary Attributes section, all characters have six statistics that define their basic mental and physical capabilities. All characters start with -3 in every statistic. The player may allocate a total 24 points across all six statistics. No statistic may be raised above 5.

It is important to note that later in character creation, race selection, traits, or perks may modify these primary attributes above or below the ranges listed here (-3 to 5).

Establishing Secondary Attributes
Simple's Secondary Attributes are either determined by the Overseer or decided by the player at character creation. For example, some Overseers may decide to start a high-level campaign where all characters start at 10th level. This has a large effect on allocating points later on. Attributes like race may be limited by the Overseer, but otherwise may be selected by the player.

Calculating Derived Statistics
All of the Derived Attributes in Simple can be calculated using the primary attributes and secondary attributes. Although allocating points will change these values later on, it is best to calculate derived statistics before the point allocation phase.

Allocating Points
"Points" include all of the following elements, and should be done in the following order for ease:


 * Select zero, one, or two Traits.
 * Pick three Tag! skills (unless a trait gives the character less or more).
 * Spend all available skill points on skill rates.
 * Pick as many perks as you qualify to take.

Equipment Selection
Fallout and Simple do not use a traditional method of equipment selection. Characters are not allocated money to spend on items with fixed values. Instead, the Background and Personality Creation of the character, combined with the flavor of the character and the power level of the campaign, should determine starting equipment.


 * Tribal Background: Little to no money; leather outfits; basic, non-powered melee and missile weapons; tribal chem variants only; flora, fauna, and simple "found" tech; no vehicles; pack animals and attack animals.
 * Backwater Background: Little money; no armor; basic, non-powered melee weapons; basic, single-shot, low-power firearms; no chems; "found" tech; non-powered vehicles; pack animals.
 * Vault Background: No money; no armor; basic, non-powered melee weapons; basic, single-shot, low-power firearms; basic stimpaks; no tech; Pip Boys; no vehicles.
 * Civilized Background: Some money; no armor; basic, non-powered melee weapons; no firearms; basic stimpaks and some standard chems; variety of tech; non-powered vehicles and low-powered single-rider vehicles; pack animals.

Other background types are certainly possible, but these four basic backgrounds should give insight into what strengths and weaknesses each type might have. They are not intended to be "realistic", just sensible.