Chapter One

Characters

Great heroes are more than a collection

of statistics and numbers, but in a game Hindrances
system this is certainly where they begin. Hindrances are flaws, drawbacks, or dark
To make your hero, download a Savage secrets drawn from a character’s backstory.
Worlds character sheet from our website at
You can take up to 4 points of Hindrances.
www.peginc.com and follow the steps below.
A Major Hindrance is worth 2 points, and
a Minor is worth 1. A hero could thus take
Concept two Major Hindrances, four Minor, or any
Published Savage Settings often come with combination that adds up to 4 points. (You
both character ideas and pregenerated can take more Hindrances if you want but the
“Archetypes.” You can play these as-is or use maximum benefit is 4 points!)
them to spark your own ideas. Taking Hindrances not only helps you
You might play an iconic gunslinger in define and roleplay your hero, but also gives
Deadlands: The Weird West, for example, or you additional points you can use to start
you might try something a little different with additional attribute or skill points, Edges,
and play the innocent schoolmarm destined or even money for gear.
to save the town. Look through the player’s For 2 points you can:
section of your setting or talk to the GM if it’s • Raise an attribute one die type, or
a world of her own creation to see what kind • Choose an Edge
of character catches your interest. For 1 point you can:
• Gain another skill point, or
Race • Gain additional starting funds equal to
twice your setting’s starting amount.
Settings may feature everything from
humans to strange aliens, graceful elves, or
other exotic races. You can choose to play any
Traits
race available in your particular setting. Characters are defined by attributes and skills,
A number of sample races are detailed on collectively called “Traits,” and both work in
pages 12 through 17, as well as rules for exactly the same way. Attributes and skills
players and Game Masters to create their own. are ranked by die types, typically from d4
to d12, with d6 being the average for adult
humans. Higher is better!

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 Attributes Skills
Every character starts with a d4 in each Skills are learned abilities such as firing
of five attributes: Agility, Smarts, Spirit, weapons, hand-to-hand combat, scientific
SAVAGE WORLDS

Strength, and Vigor (discussed in more detail knowledge, professional aptitudes, and so on.
on page 29). Skills in Savage Worlds are very broad to
You then have 5 points to increase your keep the action simple and straightforward.
attributes. Raising a d4 to a d6, for example, The Shooting skill, for example, covers all
costs 1 point. You’re free to spend these points types of guns, bows, rocket launchers, and
however you like, except that no attribute other ranged weapons.
may ever be raised above a d12 unless a racial Core Skills: Five skills are marked with a
ability says otherwise (such as Attribute red star in the list that begins on page 29:
Increase, page 18). If it does, each increase Athletics, Common Knowledge, Notice,
beyond a d12 adds a +1 modifier. Increasing Persuasion, and Stealth. These are “innate”
a d12 Strength two steps, for example, is a abilities most adult adventurers have.
Strength score of d12 + 2. Unless a racial ability (page 18), Edge, or
Hindrance says otherwise, your character
starts with a d4 in each of these five core skills.
Buying Skills: After core skills are assigned,
you have 12 additional points to raise core
skills or buy and raise new skills as you see fit.
Each die type costs 1 point (starting at d4)
as long as the skill is equal to or less than the
attribute it’s linked to (listed beside the skill
in parentheses, in the list starting on page
58). If you exceed the linked attribute, the
cost becomes 2 points per die type.
Skill Maximums: Skills may not be
increased above d12 during character
creation unless the character’s race starts
with the skill at d6. If the skill starts with a d6,
increase her maximum to d12 + 1. Celestials
(page 21) start with a d6 in Faith, for
R ed
example, which means their Faith skill may
be increased to d12 + 1.
ha t se t t in g
No m at t er w
, Emily’s
sh e’s playing
Derived Statistics
ed .”
is always “ R
Your character sheet contains a few other
c har act er statistics you need to fill in, described below.
diff er ent
R ed tak es on Pace is how fast your character moves in
he n sh e w a n der s
aspect s w
tactical situations like combat. Standard Pace
or ld s, b ut is
diff er ent w
is 6, which means six tabletop inches per
g, S m ar t,
always St r on
game round. Each inch is two yards in the
ds .
her fr ie n
real world. Movement is explained in detail
a n d lo yal t o on page 92.
ious … a t r ait
She ’s also c ur Parry is equal to 2 plus half your character’s
st a n t ly se ems t o
t hat c on
Fighting die type (a total of 2 if a character
t r ou b le …
g et her in
doesn’t have Fighting), plus any bonuses for
shields or certain weapons. This is the Target
Number (TN) to hit your hero in hand-to-
hand combat.

10
 For Fighting skills higher than d12, such as Unless your setting book or GM says
d12 + 1, add half the fixed modifier, rounded otherwise, the standard starting amount is
down. For instance, Fighting d12 + 1 grants a $500. A list of common gear and weapons can
Parry of 8, while Fighting d12 + 2 results in a be found in Chapter Two.
Parry of 9. Depending on the setting, this might be
Size: A hero’s default Size is 0 unless altered everything the character owns or it may
by racial abilities, Edges, or Hindrances. It represent their “adventuring” gear, with their
cannot be less than −1 or more than +3. more mundane belongings stored at a home

Characters
Toughness is your hero’s damage thres­ or apartment. The latter is up to the Game
hold. Damage rolls that equal or exceed Master. In modern settings, most everyone
this number cause harm (explained later in should have a home, clothes, appliances,
Chapter Three). and so on. The equipment you list on your
character sheet should be your character’s
Toughness is 2 plus half your hero’s Vigor,
“adventuring gear” rather than an exhaustive
plus Armor (use the armor worn on his
list of everything she owns.
torso — see page 69). Vigor over a d12 is
calculated just like Parry, above. Players don’t have to worry about how
much they can carry in most games, but if
it becomes important, see Encumbrance
Edges on page 67.
Attributes and skills are a character’s
basic statistics, but what really makes Background Details
individuals different are their Edges. Even
two legionaries in Weird Wars Rome Finish your new hero by filling in any
with identical Traits play vastly additional history or background you
different depending on the Edges care to. Ask yourself why she’s where
they take. One might focus on she is and what her goals are. Where does
Leadership Edges that lets him rally she live? Does she have any close friends
his fellow soldiers while another or family who might be relevant
concentrates on taking out large to the game?
numbers of foes at once with Or just start playing and fill in
Sweep or Frenzy. these details as they become
Characters get Edges important and you walk
by taking Hindrances around in her shoes a bit.
(see above), from racial You might also want to
abilities (such as Humans’ talk to the other players.
Adaptability, page 16), Maybe your characters
or Advances once play know each other
begins (page 54). right from the start.
A comprehensive list of Or you might col-
Edges starts on page 37. lectively decide to optimize
Your setting book likely has your group a bit and ensure
additional abilities specific you’ve got a good assort-
to that world or genre as well. ment of skills and abilities.
If so, make sure you’re play-
ing what you want to play.
Gear There’s no point in being the
Some settings provide your party’s healer if that’s not a role
hero with all the gear she needs. you’re interested in.
Most simply grant a starting amount
of funds you can use to purchase
r ion …
whatever you like from a relevant
list of weapons, armor, and R om an C entu
ea n
adventuring gear. Th ese g uys m
bu siness!
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