Generic Systemless Stats

Roderick Robertson

Instead of providing stats for characters in any particular system, I use a descriptive system, and let you determine what those stats translate into in your system of choice. Stats are divided into four areas:

Ability

Abilities are also noted as to what sort of abilities – an Experienced Bureaucrat is probably a lousy Warrior. The primary ability group is listed first, with secondary abilities (often Warrior, since players often feel the need to fight NPCs) listed second.
 
Beginning: Just out of Character Generation with no experience
Average: Some experience. The majority of “just plain folk”
Experienced: 10 or so years worth of experience
Elite: 20 or so years of experience, maybe has gone on a solo Heroquest or two
Heroic: Has gone on (and survived) numerous solo heroquests

Equipment

Relates to arms and armor – it’s assumed that other occupations will have equipment suitable for their ability levels, but it normally does not come up in a game.
 
Poor: no armor, only wood or stone weapons
Average: leather armor, shields, bronze weapons
Good: Leather armor with a few bronze pieces (typically helmets), bronze weapons. maybe one enchanted piece.
Superior: Mostly-bronze (or equivalent) armor, metal weapons. Some enchanted gear
Excellent: Bronze armor with some Iron pieces, well-made bronze weapons. Some enchanted pieces
Heroic: Iron, Rune metal or superior magical items

Magic

Magical abilities are related to the main occupation of the character as listed in the “Ability” section. You can figure that any Combat magic is at the secondary Warrior ability level if the character is not a warrior.
 
None: No useful abilities
Poor: One or two useful abilities
Average: Four or five useful abilities
Good: A suite of useful abilities
Superior: A wide suite of useful abilities
Excellent: A wide suite of abilities, with a few exotic abilities
Heroic: A wide suite of abilities and numerous exotic abilities

Guardian Magic

Most Gloranthan societies have some sort of magical guardians that provide magical support to dedicated groups. In Orlanthi societies these are called “Wyters”, The Lunars tend to call their “Lares”, military units might have an “Espirit de Corps”, etc.


Example Stats

Talon Warband Warriors

Ability: Beginning to experienced Warriors
Equipment: Superior – all have at least leather armor, more experienced warriors have Bronze mail or scale armor, all have metal helmets. Swords, spears and axes predominate
Magic: Average, typical Orlanthi mix of magic
Guardian Magic: Flight