OSR Backstory Generator
This is a repost from my old Patreon, but I thought it might still have some use here.
Do you play OSR games and roll 3d6 for each stat while thinking "Boy I sure wish Character Creation took a whole lot longer than this simple and efficient method", then boy howdy are you in luck!
This advanced and "improved" method generates a little bit of backstory. Follow the steps below.
Step 1.) The luck of birth
What natural talents and shortcomings was your character born with? Roll 1d6 straight down for each stat.
Step 2.) Childhood and tutelage
Roll 6d6 and assign one die to each stat (combined with step 1 each stat should be between 2 and 12 now). This is how you spent you childhood and what priority you put on different aspects of your life.
STR: Chores
DEX: Playing games
CON: Wandering far and wide
INT: Curiosity and exploring on your own
WIS: Watching others and doing what they do because they do it
CHA: Making friends
Step 3.) Adolescence and the consequences of one's choices
This is the meat of this system. Roll three sets of 2d6 and set them aside.
For the first set of 2d6 roll a d66 to pick two stats.
1 STR
2 DEX
3 CON
4 INT
5 WIS
6 CHA
So if you roll 3,4 on the d66 you got CON and INT. There is a special case for doubles on the d66 we'll cover later. If the 2d6 (not the d66) you are rolling for is doubles (say you roll 2 and 2) then you just apply the number to each stat. There isn't really any choice to make.
If they are different on the 2d6 (say a 5 and 1) Then you go to the life event that compares CON and INT and make a decision. Each decision lists a stat. If you choose that option that stat gets the higher or the 2d6 and the other stat gets the lower.
Then roll d44 (two d4s) to find two additional stats to repeat the process (skipping the numbers of the two stats already used). Finally you compare the remaining two stats. I'll list the life events below and then run through an example.
Life Events
1 STR
STR or Dex?
You saved someone from a burning house! Did you break down the door (STR) or climb through the second story window? (DEX)?
STR or Con?
You needed to haul a large amount of goods to market. Did you take two trips (CON) or carry an oversized load? (STR)?
STR or Int?
You were stuck hauling furniture up a hill with a cliff. Did you take the long winding path (STR) or rig up a winch and pulley (INT)?
STR or Wis?
Some rich and drunken asshole made a comment about your mother. Did you knock them out (STR) or let it slide (WIS)?
STR or Cha?
You were hungover for work digging ditches. Did you power through it (STR) or get your buddy to cover for you (CHA)?
2 DEX
DEX or Str?
You saved something valuable from a burning house! Did you break down the door (STR) or climb through the second story window? (DEX)?
DEX or Con?
You wounded an animal while hunting/poaching. Did you take a second shot (DEX) or run down the wounded prey (CON)?
DEX or Int?
You won against a card shark. Did you count cards (DEX) or out play them (INT)?
DEX or Wis?
You found a valuable ring on the ground outside someone’s house, did you steal it (DEX) or return it to its owner (WIS)?
DEX or Cha?
You were playing darts with a crush who was a sore loser. Did you win (DEX) or lose (CHA)?
3 CON
CON or Str?
You needed to haul a large amount of goods to market. Did you take two trips (CON) or carry an oversized load (STR)?
CON or Dex?
You wounded an animal while hunting/poaching. Did you take a second shot (DEX) or run down the wounded prey (CON)?
CON or Int?
You were being chased! Did you outrun them (CON) or take a shortcut (INT) ?
CON or Wis?
You had to live in the wilds. Did you focus on survival (CON) or did you use the time to live as a hermit (WIS)?
CON or Cha?
They said it's just razor burn. Did you believe them (CHA) or not (CON)?
4 INT
INT or Str?
You were stuck hauling furniture up a hill. Did you take the long winding path (STR) or rig up a winch and pulley (INT)?
INT or Dex?
You won against a card shark. Did you count cards (DEX) or out play them (INT)?
INT or Con?
You were being chased! Did you outrun them (CON) or take a shortcut (INT) ?
INT or Wis?
You were in a heated debate with a mentor. Did you try to prove them wrong (INT) or try to figure out how you were wrong (WIS)?
INT or Cha?
You were called a nerd when you planned to study instead of partying. Did you go to the party (CHA) or continue to study (INT) ?
5 WIS
WIS or Str?
Some rich and drunken asshole made a comment about your mother. Did you knock them out (STR) or let it slide (WIS)?
WIS or Dex?
You found a valuable ring on the ground outside someone’s house, did you steal it (DEX) or return it to its owner (WIS)?
WIS or Con?
You had to live in the wilds. Did you focus on survival (CON) or did you use the time to live as a hermit (WIS)?
WIS or Int?
You were in a heated debate with a mentor. Did you try to prove them wrong (INT) or try to figure out how you were wrong (WIS)?
WIS or Cha?
You were in a fight with a dear friend. Did you try to resolve the root cause of the issue (WIS) or tell them what they wanted to hear to stop fighting (CHA)?
6 CHA
CHA or Str?
You were hungover for work digging ditches. Did you power through it (STR) or get your buddy to cover for you (CHA)?
CHA or Dex?
You were playing darts with a crush who was a sore loser. Did you win (DEX) or lose (CHA)?
CHA or Con?
They said it's just razor burn. Did you believe them (CHA) or not (CON)?
CHA or Int?
You were called a nerd when you planned to study instead of partying. Did you go to the party (CHA) or continue to study (INT) ?
CHA or Wis?
You were in a fight with a dear friend. Did you try to resolve the root cause of the issue (WIS) or tell them what they wanted to hear to stop fighting (CHA)?
Doubles
If you roll doubles on the d66 or d44 then modify the stat rolled and re-roll the d66/d44. The stat rolled with doubles gets a +1 bonus if it is the first or third set of doubles (or any odd numbered set of doubles if you get into some weird chain) or a -1 penalty if its the second, fourth, or some even numbered set of doubles.
Example:
So I roll up a new character. I roll 6d6 straight down.
STR 5
DEX 2
CON 6
INT 6
WIS 3
CHA 4
An uncoordinated toddler that is bright and healthy as an ox. Mostly likely very destructive.
Next I roll 6d6 and get 5,3,2,3,5,1.
I decide the priorities of the characters childhood. Were a sense of curiosity (+5 INT), then wandering through the forest (+5 CON), with a second focus on playing games (+3 DEX) with friends (+3 CHA) who avoided chores (+2 STR) and certainly didn't pay much attention to learning from the examples of others (+1 WIS)
STR 7
DEX 5
CON 11
INT 11
WIS 5
CHA 7
Now comes the awkward teenage years. I roll three sets of 2d6. 4+5, 5+3, 1+3.
For the first set of 2d6 (4+5) I roll d66 for a life event. 4/1. INT VS STR. What is the life event in question?
You were stuck hauling furniture up a hill. Did you take the long winding path (STR) or rig up a winch and pulley (INT)?
My character is a thinky type. He rigged up a winch and pully. The higher die goes to INT. +5 to INT and +4 to STR.
Next I roll d44 for the next two stats (the 5+3 set of 2d6). 1/1. The first stat (excluding STR and INT which have already come up) is DEX. The character gets +1 DEX and I roll again. 4/2. Of the remaining stats that is CHA and CON.
They said it's just razor burn. Did you believe them (CHA) or not (CON)?
They did. An awkward teenage mistake and life lesson. +5 CHA and +3 CON.
Finally the last two stats are compared. DEX and WIS for the final set of 2d6 (1+3).
You found a valuable ring on the ground outside someone’s house, did you steal it (DEX) or return it to its owner (WIS)?
He's no thief. He returned it. +3 WIS and +1 DEX.
Final Stats
STR 11
DEX 7
CON 13
INT 16
WIS 8
CHA 12
And it only took ten times as long as rolling 3d6 straight down!