Swords & Wizardry House Rules: Hopeless Characters

Sometimes a character's attribute scores are so disappointing the character does not seem long for this world. The following house rule, which is a modified version of ODD74 commenter ritt's the-wretched-of-the-earth house rule, is designed to give these hopeless characters a chance at survival.

Hopeless Characters

If all of your attribute scores are less than nine, you may roll a 1d8 and consult the table below. The table provides several possible explanations for your character’s low attribute scores and advantages to make the character less hopeless.

1. Street Urchin. You were abandoned, an orphan, or otherwise came of age on the streets of a large city. On a roll of 1–3 on a d6, you can avoid a fall or engage in another acrobatic maneuver, slip from another’s grasp, escape from manacles or other bonds, or disappear in a crowd. In a village, town, or city, you may gain 1d6, 2d6, or 3d6 respectively in gold pieces once per day, the results of pilfering or purloining.
2. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. It’s better to be lucky than good. No one knows this better than you. Born under a lucky star or blessed with the luck of halflings, you make all saving throws by rolling 2d20 and taking the better of the two results. If a spell or other adverse effect normally permits no saving throw, you nonetheless get to make one. Your AC also is two lower than normal, reflecting your lucky avoidance of blows.
3. Child. You are 10 + 1d4 years old. Your low attribute scores reflect youth and inexperience. Each time you gain a new level, roll 1d6 for each attribute. On a roll of 6, the attribute in question increases by one. If you roll a 1, the attribute in question will never increase; when you gain new levels in the future, do not roll to see if that attribute increases. Once you are 18, you may no longer make these rolls.
4. Mule. As a result of genetic mutation, magical experimentation, alien crossbreeding, or some other circumstance, you are a freakish anomaly. Your appearance is not quite human (or demi-human); you are malformed, deformed, or otherwise bizarre in appearance. You are immune to sleep, charm, hold person, and polymorph other. You likewise are immune to other similar spells or magical effects.
5. Chinless Wonder. You are a foppish noble. You’ve led a pampered, decadent life or are enervated by generations of inbreeding. You start play with a noble title, horse and tack, five times the usual gold (3d6 x 50), and a faithful servant (roll randomly on the retainer table, but give him three times the usual hit points). You may obtain hospitality (temporary lodging and small favors) from other nobles on a roll of 1–4 on a d6.
6. Damaged Goods. You could have been a contender. But your mind, body, or spirit was shattered by war, disease, imprisonment, or a confrontation with a fell power. Or perhaps you were raised from the dead by a necromancer who did not quite get the necessary incantation right. “Klaatu, Barada, . . . .” You begin play with 1d4+1 x 1,000 experience points; you may begin play at second level or higher if your roll provides enough experience points.
7. Lotus Addict. A slave to the lotus, your life is one of debauchery, degradation, and dissipation. But once per day you may consume the lotus and increase any one attribute by 2d6+2 points for a brief period of time or gain temporary hit points in this amount. An attribute may exceed 18 as a result; if so, the DM will assign appropriate bonuses. You must spend 10% of any treasure gained on lotus to continue receiving this benefit.
8. Glorious Patrimony. Your father was renowned. You are but a pale reflection of him; however, as his lone heir you inherit his prize possession: a random magic item. Clerics, fighters, paladins, and rangers roll on Table 89. Druids roll on Table 101. Magic-users roll on Table 99. Assassins, monks, and thieves roll on Table 104. If a cursed item is rolled, ignore that result and reroll. You also gain +2 on reaction rolls due to your father's reputation.