DCC RPG Quick Start Guide, June 2011
Page 1
QUICK START GUIDE
W
elcome to DCC RPG and Free RPG Day! One of the best things about DCC RPG is that you can roll up a character
in 5 minutes. Well, maybe 10 minutes if you’re new to the game. Yes, it’s really that fast! This simple guide excerpts
the relevant pages from the DCC RPG beta rules to allow you to very quickly roll up 0-level characters on Free
RPG Day. Ready? Let’s get started!
Character creation in the DCC RPG follows these steps:
1. Roll ability scores.
2. Determine 0-level occupation.
3. Calculate saving throws and choose an alignment.
4. Determine randomly determined equipment.
That’s it! Now, grab the character sheet from the end of this packet, then let’s get started.
LEVEL 0
A
ll characters start at 0 level. Most will die in a dungeon, alone and unknown. The few who survive eventually
choose a class in which to advance. When starting a 0-level game, we recommend that each player control 2-3
characters. Trust me, you’ll need them. All 0-level characters start with the following:
• 1d4 hit points, modified by Stamina
• 5d12 copper pieces
• -100 XP
• One randomly determined piece of equipment (see table 3-4)
• One randomly determined occupation (see table 1-3)
• Based on the occupation:
• Possession of and training in one weapon
• Possession of some trade goods
• A +0 modifier to attack rolls and all saving throws
As the character earns experience points, his XP total advances to 1. When his XP total reaches 1, he may choose a class.
DCC RPG Quick Start Guide, June 2011
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ABILITY SCORES
A
character is defined in broad terms by six ability scores. For character creation, roll 3d6 for each ability score listed
on the character sheet, in the order of Strength, Agility, Stamina, Personality, Intelligence, and Luck. You always
roll 3d6, and you always roll and apply the scores in that same order. You do not roll more dice and drop the low-
est die, you do not use a point-based buy system, and you do not assign ability scores in any order other than that defined
above.
Once you’ve rolled your abilities, note your modifier on the character sheet. Then roll d30 on Table 1-2 to determine what
kind of roll your Luck score modifies.
TABLE 1-1: ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS
Ability Score Modifier Wizard Spells Known Max Spell Level**
3 -3 No spellcasting possible No spellcasting possible
4 -2 -2 spells* 1
5 -2 -2 spells* 1
6 -1 -1 spell* 1
7 -1 -1 spell* 1
8 -1 No adjustment 2
9 None No adjustment 2
10 None No adjustment 3
11 None No adjustment 3
12 None No adjustment 4
13 +1 No adjustment 4
14 +1 +1 spell 5
15 +1 +1 spell 5
16 +2 +1 spell 6
17 +2 +2 spells 6
18 +3 +2 spells 7
* Minimum of 1 spell.
** Based on Intelligence for wizards and Personality for clerics.
Roll Birth Augur and Lucky Roll
1 Harsh winter: All attack rolls
2 Taurus: Melee attack rolls
3 Fortunate date: Missile fire attack rolls
4 Raised by wolves: Unarmed attack rolls
5 Conceived on horseback: Mounted attack rolls
6 Born on the battlefield: Damage rolls
7 Path of the bear: Melee damage rolls
8 Hawkeye: Missile fire damage rolls
9 Pack hunter: Attack and damage rolls for 0-level
trained weapon
10 Born under the loom: Skill checks (including thief
skills)
11 Fox’s cunning: Find/disable traps
12 Four-leafed clover: Find secret doors
13 Seventh son: Spell checks
14 The raging storm: Spell damage
15 Righteous heart: Turn unholy checks
16 Survived the plague: Magical healing*
17 Lucky sign: Saving throws
18 Guardian angel: Savings throws to escape traps
Roll Birth Augur and Lucky Roll
19 Survived a spider bite: Saving throws against
poison
20 Struck by lightning: Reflex saving throws
21 Lived through famine: Fortitude saving throws
22 Resisted temptation: Willpower saving throws
23 Charmed house: Armor Class
24 Speed of the cobra: Initiative
25 Bountiful harvest: Hit points (applies at each
level)
26 Warrior’s arm: Critical hit tables**
27 Unholy house: Corruption rolls
28 The Broken Star: Fumbles**
29 Birdsong: Number of languages
30 Wild child: Speed (each +1 = +5’ speed)
* If a cleric, applies to all healing the cleric performs. If not a
cleric, applies to all magical healing received from other sourc-
es.
** Luck normally affects critical hits and fumbles. On this re-
sult, the modifier is doubled for purposes of crits or fumbles.
TABLE 1-2: LUCK SCORE
DCC RPG Quick Start Guide, June 2011
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OCCUPATION
Y
our character once toiled away at mundane tasks, and his
family and peers still do. Whether alongside his family or
apprenticed to a master, his former occupation provides
some set of skills – useful perhaps only as a fallback when he emerg-
es crippled from the dungeon, but useful nonetheless. These skills
also include training in a rudimentary weapon of some kind. Roll
d% on table 1-3 to determine a character’s background. Unless noted
otherwise, a character is human.
Note that a character’s occupation need not be determined random-
ly. If a player has a strong sense of the character’s background in
mind already, he should feel free to use it. Starting trained weapon
and trade goods can be determined thematically with the judge’s
approval.
TRADE GOODS
N
ovice adventurers typically hail from mundane back-
grounds. The economics of a feudal setting involve more
barter than coinage. The typical farmer or woodcutter may
sustain his family for years of trade without ever setting eye on a
metal coin. All 0-level characters start with trade goods of some kind,
as indicated on table 1-3. These may be useful in the dungeon or may
provide a starting point for trading up to a better status in life.
You will discover that 0-level characters possess almost no equip-
ment. Begin play with a properly sized party (at least 15 PCs), and
you will quickly learn what “wealth by attrition” means and how it
applies to low-level play.
ALIGNMENT
I
n the beginning there was the Void, where the Old Ones
dreamed. In their dreams were Law and Chaos, inherent
forces of unity and entropy. Through endless opposition,
these forces of unity and entropy elected champions who became
gods, who in turn formed planes of existence that reflected their
principles. On one such plane resides your trivial existence, tiny next
to the vastness of Aéreth, even tinier next to the vastness of the cos-
mos. But you are connected back to the greater universe and the end-
less struggle by a fundamental choice: do you back the forces of Law
or the forces of Chaos?
Alignment is a choice of values. In its simplest form it determines
behavior. In higher forms, it determines allegiance to a cosmic force.
Characters choose an alignment at 0 level, and it determines their
options for the rest of their life.
Alignment functions on many levels, but there are two primary ex-
tremes: lawful and chaotic, with the balance of neutrality between. A
character chooses one of these three alignments at 0 level.
And that’s it. Now start your adventure!
TABLE 3-4: EQUIPMENT
A 0-level character gets one randomly determined
item of equipment; roll 1d24 per character.
Roll* Item Cost
1 Backpack 2 gp
2 Candle 1 cp
3 Chain, 10’ 30 gp
4 Chalk, 1 piece 1 cp
5 Chest, empty 2 gp
6 Crowbar 2 gp
7 Flask, empty 3 cp
8 Flint & steel 15 cp
9 Grappling hook 1 gp
10 Hammer, small 5 sp
11 Holy symbol 25 gp
12 Holy water, 1 vial** 25 gp
13 Iron spikes, each 1 sp
14 Lantern 10 gp
15 Mirror, hand-sized 10 gp
16 Oil, 1 flask*** 2 sp
17 Pole, 10-foot 15 cp
18 Rations, per day 5 cp
19 Rope, 50’ 25 cp
20 Sack, large 12 cp
21 Sack, small 8 cp
22 Thieves’ tools 25 gp
23 Torch, each 1 cp
24 Waterskin 5 sp
* Roll 1d24 to randomly determine equipment for 0-level
characters. Characters who purchase their equipment at a
later level ignore this column.
** A half-pint vial of holy water inflicts 1d4 damage to any
un-dead creature, as well as some demons and devils.
*** When ignited and thrown, oil causes 1d6 damage plus
fire (DC 10 save vs. Reflex to put out or suffer additional
1d6 damage each round). One flask of oil burns for 6 hours
in a lantern.
DCC RPG Quick Start Guide, June 2011
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TABLE 1-3: OCCUPATION
Roll Occupation Trained Weapon† Trade Goods
01 Alchemist Staff Oil, 1 flask
02 Animal trainer Club Pony
03-04 Armorer Hammer (as club) Iron helmet
05 Astrologer Dagger Spyglass
06-08 Blacksmith Hammer (as club) Steel tongs
09-10 Caravan guard Short sword Linen, 1 yard
11 Cobbler Awl (as dagger) Shoehorn
12 Confidence artist Dagger Quality cloak
13 Cooper Crowbar (as club) Barrel
14-15 Cutpurse Dagger Small chest
16-17 Ditch digger Shovel (as staff) Fine dirt, 1 lb.
18-21 Dwarven blacksmith Hammer (as club) Mithril, 1 oz.
22-23 Dwarven herder Staff Sow**
24-27 Dwarven miner Pick (as club) Lantern
28-31 Elven artisan Staff Clay, 1 lb.
32-35 Elven forester Staff Herbs, 1 lb.
36-37 Elven sage Dagger Parchment and quill pen
38-47 Farmer* Pitchfork (as spear) Hen**
48 Fortune-teller Dagger Tarot deck
49 Gambler Club Dice
50 Gongfarmer Trowel (as dagger) Sack of night soil
51-52 Grave digger Shovel (as staff) Trowel
53-54 Guild beggar Sling Crutches
55-58 Halfling gypsy Sling Hex doll
59-62 Halfling trader Short sword 20 sp
63-64 Halfling vagrant Club Begging bowl
65 Healer Club Holy water, 1 vial
66 Herbalist Club Herbs, 1 lb.
67-69 Herder Staff Herding dog**
70-72 Hunter Shortbow Deer pelt
73 Indentured servant Staff Locket
74 Jester Dart Silk clothes
75 Jeweler Dagger Gem worth 20 gp
76 Locksmith Dagger Fine tools
77 Mercenary Longsword Hide armor
78 Miller/baker Club Flour, 1 lb.
79 Minstrel Dagger Ukulele
80 Noble Longsword Gold ring worth 10 gp
81 Orphan Club Rag doll
82 Ostler Staff Bridle
83 Outlaw Short sword Leather armor
84 Scribe Dart Parchment, 10 sheets
85 Shaman Mace Herbs, 1 lb.
86 Slave Club Strange-looking rock
87 Smuggler Sling Waterproof sack
88-89 Soldier Spear Shield
90-91 Squire Longsword Steel helmet
92-93 Trapper Sling Badger pelt
94 Urchin Stick (as club) Begging bowl
95 Wainwright Club Pushcart***
96 Weaver Dagger Fine suit of clothes
97 Wizard’s apprentice Dagger Black grimoire
98-100 Woodcutter Handaxe Bundle of wood
† If a missile fire weapon (such as sling or dart), roll 1d6 to determine number of sling stones or darts.
* Roll 1d8 to determine farmer type: (1) potato, (2) wheat, (3) turnip, (4) corn, (5) rice, (6) parsnip, (7) radish, (8) rutabaga.
** Why did the chicken cross the hallway? To check for traps! In all seriousness, if the party includes more than one farmer or herder, randomly determine
the second and subsequent farm animals for each duplicated profession with 1d6: (1) sheep, (2) goat, (3) cow, (4) duck, (5) goose, (6) mule.
*** Roll 1d6 to determine what’s in the cart: (1) tomatoes, (2) nothing, (3) straw, (4) your dead, (5) dirt, (6) rocks.
DCC RPG Quick Start Guide, June 2011
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TABLE 3-1: WEAPONS
At 0 level you won’t have many weapons, but you might need some of these stats.
Weapon Damage Range Cost in gp
Battleaxe* 1d8 – 7
Blackjack 1d3*** – 3
Club 1d4 – 3
Crossbow* 1d6 80/160/240 30
Dagger† 1d4 10/20/30** 3
Dart 1d4 20/40/60** 5 sp
Flail 1d6 – 6
Handaxe 1d6 10/20/30** 4
Javelin 1d6 30/60/90** 1
Longbow* 1d6 70/140/210 40
Longsword 1d8 – 10
Mace 1d6 – 5
Polearm* 1d10 – 7
Shortbow* 1d6 50/100/150 25
Short sword 1d6 – 7
Sling 1d4 40/80/160** 2
Spear 1d8 – 3
Staff 1d4 – 5 sp
Two-handed sword* 1d10 – 15
Warhammer 1d6 – 5
* Two-handed weapon. Characters using two-handed weapons suffer a -4 penalty to initiative checks.
** Strength damage bonus applies with this weapon at close range only. Strength penalties apply at all ranges.
*** Damage dealt is always subdual damage.
† Characters generally purchase normal straight-edged daggers, but cultists, cave-dwellers, evil priests, alien worshippers, and
other bad guys carry curvy or ceremonial daggers known as athame, kris, or tumi.
TABLE 3-2: AMMUNITION
Ammunition Quantity Cost in gp
Arrows 20 5
Arrow, silver-tipped 1 5
Quarrels 30 10
Sling stones 30 1
DUNGEON CRAWL CLASSICS CHARACTER RECORD SHEET
Name Title
Occupation
Class
Alignment
Speed
AC
Hit Points
Max: _____
Level
XP
Equipment
Treasure
Weapons
Armor
Combat Basics
Initiative: _______
Action dice: _______
Attack: _______
Crit die: _______
Crit table: _______
Melee Attack Melee Damage
Missile Attack
Missile Damage
Ref
Save
Fort
Save
Will
Save
Languages
Lucky Roll
Strength
Modifier: ______
Agility
Modifier: ______
Stamina
Modifier: ______
Personality
Modifier: ______
Intelligence
Modifier: ______
Luck
Modifier: ______
Notes
