Random Special Abilities

[tombowings]

In order to help distinguish characters from one another, I've been considered giving each a single, randomly determined special ability related to the character's class, based on the Arduin Vol I. These abilities are preliminary thoughts and are certainly not balanced against one another.

I'd like to expand each table with a few more result so I can include more wild variants like "Secretly a werewolf" under the fighter table. I'm also considered another table for the Lawful and Chaotic alignments, available only to characters with 15+ wisdom.

Fighter Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. +2 with swords, -1 with all other weapons
2. +1 with daggers
3. +1 with swords
4. +1 with two-handed swords
5. +1 with axes
6. +1 with spears
7. +1 with pole arms
8. +1 with maces
9. +1 with morning stars
10. +1 with flails
11. +1 with bows
12. +1 with crossbows
13. Nature Warrior, +1 with all weapons
14. Dragon Slayer, +3 to saves versus dragon breath
15. Orc Slayer, +2 to hit goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, & bugbears
16. Undead Slayer, +3 to resist the special abilities of the undead
17. Fearless, cannot be scared stiff or forced to flee
18. Magic Resistant, +2 to saves versus magic & spells
19. Poison Resistant, +3 saves versus poisons & venoms
20. Flesh tastes bad to monsters


Magic-User Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. +1 with daggers
2. Charmed creatures adds +2 to morale while enchanted
3. Confusion victims never attack the caster
4. Detect Magic range doubled
5. Dimension Door distance doubled
6. Dispel magic as if three levels higher
7. Fireballs inflict +1 damage per die
8. Elementals cannot break free of character’s control
9. ESP also allows for reading thoughts
10. Haste allows recipients to attack twice per round
11. Held Portals cannot be broken through
12. Levitate movement speed doubled
13. Light lasts twice as long
14. Lightning Bolts inflict +1 damage per die
15. Phantasmal Forces does not require concentration
16. Polymorph Self grants special and magical abilities
17. Sleep affects one additional creature per die rolled
18. Slow halves victim’s attack rate
19. Teleport never results in death
20. Doubles the size of wall spells (Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice, etc.)


Cleric Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. +1 with maces
2. +1 with morning stars
3. +1 with flails
4. +1 with staffs
5. +1 with slings
6. +3 with wooden stakes
7. Add +3 to attempt to turn undead
8. Add +3 to the number of undead turned or destroyed
9. Bless adds +2 to attack and can be cast in combat
10. Detect Evil range doubled
11. Find Traps lasts twice as long
12. Healing spells restore +2 hit points per die rolled
13. Light spells are equal to full daylight
14. Neutralize Poison can be cast on venomous monsters
15. Purify Food & Water dispels water elementals
16. Protection from Evil grants +2 to saves & -2 to attacks
17. Speak with Animals adds +3 to reaction rolls
18. Snakes created by Turn Sticks to Snakes always venomous
19. Curse Proof, +6 to saving throws versus curses
20. Blessed by the Powers Above, +2 to all saving throws


Dwarf Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. +2 with axes, -1 with all other weapons
2. +2 with hammers, -1 with all other weapons
3. +1 with axes
4. +1 with hammers
5. +1 with daggers
6. +1 with swords
7. +1 with maces
8. +1 with morning stars
9. +1 with pole arms
10. +1 with crossbows
11. Giant Slayer, takes half damage from ogres, trolls & giants
12. Orc Slayer, +2 to hit goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, & bugbears
13. Darkvision, can see in the dark out to 60’
14. Fearless, cannot be scared stiff or forced to flee
15. Heavy Drinker, can drink as well as an ogre
16. Fire Resistant, takes -1 damage per die from fire
17. Keen Sense of Smell, can even smell through doors
18. Ooze Resistant, takes half damage from oozes
19. Stone Proof, +6 to resist being turned to stone
20. Flesh tastes bad to monsters

 
Elf Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. +3 with rapiers, -2 with all other weapons
2. +1 with daggers
3. +1 with swords
4. +1 with two-handed swords
5. +1 with bows
6. Charmed creatures adds +2 to morale while enchanted
7. Confusion victims never attack the caster
8. Detect Magic range doubled
9. Dimension Door distance doubled
10. Dispel magic as if three levels higher
11. Fireballs inflict +1 damage per die
12. Haste allows recipients to attack twice per round
13. Levitate movement speed doubled
14. Phantasmal Forces does not require concentration
15. Sleep affects one additional creature per die rolled
16. Slow halves victim’s attack rate
17. Animal Friend, +2 to reaction rolls with animals
18. Fleet of Foot, movement speed 15” when unencumbered
19. Keen Hearing, ½ chance to be surprised
20. Curse Proof, +6 to saving throws versus curses


Hobbit Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. +2 with slings, -1 with all other weapons
2. +2 with daggers, -1 with all other weapons
3. +2 with short bows, -1 with all other weapons
4. +1 with daggers
5. +1 with hand axes
6. +1 with swords
7. +1 with short bows
8. +1 with slings
9. Dragon Slayer, +3 to saves versus dragon breath
10. Giant Slayer, takes half damage from ogres, trolls & giants
11. Orc Slayer, +2 to hit goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, & bugbears
12. Animal Friend, +2 to reaction rolls with animals
13. Buoyant, naturally floats on water, difficult to drown
14. Curse Proof, +6 to saving throws versus curses
15. Fearless, cannot be scared stiff or forced to flee
16. Heavy Drinker, can drink as well as a dwarf
17. Keen Hearing, ½ chance to be surprised
18. Keen Sense of Smell, can even smell through doors
19. Lucky, set off traps half the normal rate
20. Ring Lord, double the effect of magical rings

[tombowings]

Some idea for abilities based on the characters' alignment. These are available only to character Wisdom 15+. Remember, characters still only get one special ability.

Lawful Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. Animal Friend, +2 to reaction rolls with animals
2. Dwarf Friend, +3 to reaction rolls with dwarfs
3. Elf Friend, +3 to reaction rolls with elves
4. Hobbit Friend, +3 to reaction rolls with hobbits
5. Curse Proof, +6 to saving throws versus curses
6. Detect Evil at will
7. Immunity to ghoul paralysis
8. Immunity to level drain
9. Lay on hands to cure 2 hit points of damage per level daily
10. Lay on hands to cure 1 disease weekly
11. Blessed by the Powers Above, +2 to all saving throws
12. One free wish


Chaotic Special Abilities

Roll Result
1. Goblin Lord, +3 to reaction rolls with goblins and hobgoblins
2. Orc Lord, +3 to reaction rolls with orcs
3. Dragon Friend, +3 to reactions with Chaotic dragons
4. Undead Friend, +3 to reactions with intelligence undead
5. Curse Proof, +6 to saving throws versus curses
6. Dark Vision, see in the dark out to a range of 60’
7. Immunity to level drain
8. Fire Resistant, takes -1 damage per die from fire
9. Ooze Resistant, takes half damage from oozes
10. Poison Resistant, +3 saves versus poisons & venoms
11. Stone Proof, +6 to resist being turned to stone
12. Secretly a vampire

[Deleted]

I've experimented before in my campaigns with giving out extra feat-style abilities like this, but not at character creation. Rather as a result of repeated successes during a campaign. Kind of like of a personalized power-progression arc for a character. I think the issue is resisting the temptation to do this too often.