[File FUDGE1, #1 of 10]

       FUDGE: Freeform, Universal, Do-it-yourself Gaming Engine
                   A Free Role-playing Game (RPG).
              Copyright 1992, 1995 by Steffan O'Sullivan
                         Version: June, 1995

-----------------------------------
"Back Cover Blurb" and Introduction
-----------------------------------

FUDGE: Freeform Universal Do-it-yourself Gaming Engine

FUDGE is a unique role-playing game.  The basic rules are for
experienced Game Masters, but players can range from complete novice
to experienced pro.  FUDGE works with any genre.  Sample characters
from many genres are included.

FUDGE has some interesting aspects, including many new concepts in
role-playing gaming:

   -> No fixed attributes.  The GM chooses appropriate attributes
      depending on taste and genre played.  Many sample attributes are
      included.
   -> FUDGE is a skill-driven system.  Skills can also be defined by
      the GM, anywhere from finely defined individual skills to
      broadly defined skill groups.  The choice is yours, even to
      mixing as you choose.
   -> Attributes and skills are word-based, making it easy to
      determine how good any given character is at anything.  You'll
      never hear players say, "I'm a level (or skill) 14 Fighter."
      Instead, they'll simply say, "I'm a Great swordsman!"
   -> Inborn gifts and faults can be created and described by
      individual players, being as brief or lengthy as the player
      desires.  Many examples are provided to get you started.
   -> Due to the word-based system, any campaign world or adventure
      written in FUDGE can be translated painlessly to any other
      system - and vice versa.  This makes FUDGE extremely useful as
      the "universal translator" of gaming systems.
   -> A simple action resolution system allows players to know how
      well they performed an individual action - in words.  Rules for
      six-sided dice, percentile dice, and special FUDGE dice are
      included.  FUDGE can also be run diceless, if desired.
   -> You can integrate other role-playing rules with FUDGE.  If an
      existing game has a brilliant game mechanism in an otherwise
      lackluster set of rules, you can easily import the brilliance
      into FUDGE without bringing along the mediocrity.  Do you like
      the way game X handles psi, game Y combat, and game Z sanity?
      Use them all freely with FUDGE.
   -> The GM is given options to help her customize FUDGE toward
      either a realistic campaign or an "epic" (or "legendary" or
      "cinematic") campaign.  Any genre can be played at any point
      between these opposing stances of realistic vs. legendary.
   -> The basic rules can be copied and given away legally.  In fact,
      any publisher can publish FUDGE rules and add their own world
      backgrounds and adventures - see the Legal Notice for details.
   -> If you are thinking of designing your own home rules RPG, simply
      reading FUDGE can provide an excellent introduction to what you
      need to consider as a game designer.

FUDGE is specifically for people who want a good bedrock to build
their own system on.  It provides the building blocks you need to
customize your own rules.  If you haven't found a commercial role-
playing game  that suits your needs exactly, then FUDGE may be what
you're looking for.  If you have created a great game setting (or
translated one from fiction), but no other game system's rules seem to
do it justice, perhaps FUDGE can help you.

The basic FUDGE rules contain no campaign world information (except
for samples).  Future releases from Grey Ghost Games will include
campaign worlds, generic resource books, and adventures.  Due to
FUDGE's flexible universal nature, these will be usable with any game
system.


-----------------
Table of Contents
-----------------

i.   Legal Notice
ii.  Acknowledgements
iii.   About the Author
iv.    Terminology and Format
1  Character Creation
   1.1  Character Creation Terms
   1.2  FUDGE Trait Levels
   1.3  Character Traits
      1.31  Attributes
      1.32  Skills
      1.33  Gifts
      1.34  Faults
      1.35  Personality
      1.36  Fudge Points
   1.4  Allocating Traits
   1.5  Subjective Character Creation
   1.6  Objective Character Creation
      1.61  Attributes
      1.62  Skills
      1.63  Gifts & Faults
      1.64  Trading Traits
   1.7  Uncommitted Traits
   1.8  Random Character Creation
   1.9  Minimizing Abuse
2  Supernormal Powers
   2.1  Supernormal Power Terms
   2.2  Powers at Character Creation
      2.21  Powers Available
      2.22  Associated Skills
      2.23  Combat Powers
   2.3  Non-humans
      2.31  Strength and Mass
      2.32  Speed
      2.33  Scale Correlations
      2.34  Cost of Scale
      2.35  Racial Bonuses and Penalties
   2.4  Legendary Heroes
   2.5  Magic
   2.6  Miracles
   2.7  Psi
   2.8  Superpowers
   2.9  Cybernetic Enhancements
3  Action Resolution
   3.1  Action Resolution Terms
   3.2  Rolling the Dice
      3.21  Reading the Dice
      3.22  Other Dice Techniques
      3.23  Success Rates
   3.3  Action Modifiers
   3.4  Unopposed Actions
   3.5  Opposed Actions
   3.6  Critical Results
   3.7  NPC Reactions
4  Combat, Wounds & Healing
   4.1  Combat Terms
   4.2  Melee Combat
      4.21  Story Elements
      4.22  Simultaneous Combat Rounds
      4.23  Alternating Combat Turns
   4.3  Melee Combat Options
      4.31  Melee Modifiers
      4.32  Offensive/Defensive Tactics
      4.33  PCs vs. NPCs
      4.34  Multiple Combatants in Melee
      4.35  Hit Location
      4.36  Fancy Stuff
   4.4  Ranged Combat
   4.5  Wounds
      4.51  Wound Levels
      4.52  Damage Capacity
      4.53  Wound Factors
      4.54  Sample Wound Factors List
      4.55  Determining Wound Level
      4.56  Grazing
      4.57  Recording Wounds
      4.58  Non-human Scale in Combat
   4.6  Wound Options
      4.61  Damage Die Roll
      4.62  Stun, Knockout, and Pulling Punches
      4.63  Min-Mid-Max Die Roll
      4.64  PC Death
      4.65  Technological Levels as Scale
   4.7  Combat and Wounding Example
   4.8  Healing
5  Character Development
   5.1  Subjective Character Development
   5.2  Objective Character Development
   5.3  Development through Training
6  Tips and Examples
   6.1  GM Tips and Conversion
      6.11  Conversion Hints
      6.12  Templates
   6.2  Character Sheet Example
   6.3  Character Examples
      6.31  Fantasy Characters
      6.32  Historical Characters
      6.33  Modern Characters
      6.34  Science Fiction Characters
      6.35  Miscellaneous Characters
   6.4  Class and Racial Template Examples
      6.41  Ranger Template (Fantasy Character Class)
      6.42  Broad Class Templates
      6.43  Fantasy Race: Cercopes
   6.5  Animal & Creature Examples
   6.6  Equipment Examples
7  Addenda: Samples and Options
   7.1  Sample Magic System: FUDGE Magic
      7.11  Magic Potential
      7.12  Spells
      7.13  Mana
      7.14  Skill
      7.15  Resolution
      7.16  Personal Magic Resistance
      7.17  Certain Spell-Casting
      7.18  Enchanting Items
      7.19  FUDGE Magic Options
   7.2  Sample Miracle System: FUDGE Miracles
      7.21  Divine Favor
      7.22  Petitioning a Miracle
      7.23  Modifiers to the Petitioning Skill Level
   7.3  Sample Psionic System: FUDGE Psi
      7.31  Psionic Powers
      7.32  Psionic Skills
      7.33  Psychic Reservoir
      7.34  Psionic Actions
      7.35  Desperation Psionics
      7.36  Psi Modifiers Summary
      7.37  Psi Examples
   7.4  Alternate Rules
      7.41  On-the-Fly Character Creation
      7.42  Running FUDGE Diceless
      7.43  Open-Ended Dice
      7.44  Heroic Evasion
      7.45  Tracking Wounds

----------------
i.  Legal Notice
----------------

FUDGE - Freeform Universal Do-it-yourself Gaming Engine

(c) Copyright 1992-1995 Steffan O'Sullivan.  All rights reserved.  No
part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic
or mechanical means (including without limitation photocopying,
recording, or information storage and retrieval), except under a
limited, royalty-free license as follows:

1. Copies of all or portions of FUDGE may be made for your own use and
for distribution to others, provided that you do not charge any fee
for such copies and further provided that each copy contains this
Legal Notice in its entirety, whether distributed in print or
electronically.

2. You may create derivative works such as additional rules and game
scenarios and supplements based on FUDGE, provided that (i) such
derivative works are for your own use or for distribution without
charge, or for publication in a magazine or other periodical, and (ii)
you include at the beginning of each derivative work the following
"ABOUT FUDGE" and "DISCLAIMER" paragraphs in their entirety:

   ABOUT FUDGE
   Fudge is a role-playing game written by Steffan O'Sullivan, with
   extensive input from the Usenet community of rec.games.design.  The
   basic rules of Fudge are available on the internet at
   http://www.fudgerpg.com and in book form from Grey Ghost Games,
   P.O. Box 838, Randolph, MA 02368.  They may be used with any gaming
   genre.  While an individual work derived from Fudge may specify
   certain attributes and skills, many more are possible with Fudge.
   Every Game Master using Fudge is encouraged to add or ignore any
   character traits.  Anyone who wishes to distribute such material for
   free may do so - merely include this ABOUT FUDGE notice and
   disclaimer (complete with Fudge copyright notice).  If you wish to
   charge a fee for such material, other than as an article in a
   magazine or other periodical, you must first obtain a royalty-free
   license from the author of Fudge, Steffan O'Sullivan, P.O. Box 465,
   Plymouth, NH 03264.

You must include at the beginning of each derivative work the
following disclaimer, completed with your name, in its entirety.

   DISCLAIMER
   The following materials based on Fudge, entitled [your title],
   are created by, made available by, and Copyright (C) [copyright
   year] by [your name], and are not necessarily endorsed in
   any way by Steffan O'Sullivan or any publisher of other Fudge
   materials. Neither Steffan O'Sullivan nor any publisher of other
   Fudge materials is in any way responsible for the content of these
   materials unless specifically credited. Original Fudge materials
   Copyright (C)1992-1995 by Steffan O'Sullivan, All Rights
   Reserved.

If you wish to distribute copies of all or portions of FUDGE or
derivative works based on FUDGE for a fee or charge, other than in a
magazine or other periodical, you must first obtain written permission
from:

Steffan O'Sullivan
P.O. Box 465
Plymouth, NH 03264
sos@io.com

---------------------
ii.  Acknowledgements
---------------------

The author would like to thank Andy Skinner for quality input above
and beyond anyone else's.  Andy's contributions over the years have
been both major and profound.

Other valued contributors include Reimer Behrends, Martin Bergendahl,
Peter Bonney, Thomas Brettinger, Robert Bridson, Travis Casey, Paul
Jason Clegg, Peter F. Delaney, Jay Doane, Ann Dupuis, Paul Dupuis,
Brian Edmonds, Shawn Garbett, Ed Heil, Richard Hough, Bernard Hsiung,
John H. Kim, Pete Lindsay, Bruce Onder, Christian Otkjaer, Bill
Seurer, Larry Smith, Stephan Szabo, John Troyer, Corran Webster, and
others on rec.games.design on the Internet.

I would also like to thank, most warmly, Ann Dupuis of Grey Ghost
Games for her strong support of FUDGE over the years.  Not only has
she urged me forward with the work when I got lazy, published FUDGE,
promoted it, had FUDGE dice made, and paid my way to many conventions,
she's managed to remain a good friend during this time.  If you've
ever tried to push a lazy, stubborn person into doing what they should
be doing, you'll know this is a difficult and usually thankless task.
I'd like to break precedent and actually thank her for it.

Groo the Wanderer (TM) is a trademark of Sergio Aragones, and use of
the name in this product does not challenge the trademark status in
any way.

----------------------
iii.  About the Author
----------------------

Steffan O'Sullivan is the author of GURPS Bestiary, GURPS
Swashbucklers, GURPS Fantasy Bestiary and GURPS Bunnies & Burrows.  He
lives in New Hampshire, U.S.A., and has wide-ranging interests.  He
has formally studied history, pre-med, theater and transpersonal
psychology.

--------------------------
iv. Terminology and Format
--------------------------

To avoid confusion, "he, him," etc., are used to describe a player and
PC, and "she, her," etc., are used to describe a Game Master and NPC.

FUDGE is divided into six Chapters, each of which is divided into
Sections.  The decimal point in Section numbers is a true decimal.
For example, Section 1.35 comes between Section 1.3 and Section 1.4.

Section headers are denoted four different ways:

   ==========       Chapter headers are marked above and below with
   X  Chapter       lines of equal signs.  There is no decimal point
   ==========       in a Chapter number.


   -----------      Major section headers are marked above and below
   X.1 Section      with lines of hyphens.  Note one number after
   -----------      the decimal point.


   - - - - - - -    Minor subsection headers are marked above and
   X.12 Section     below with broken lines of hyphens.  Note two
   - - - - - - -    numbers after the decimal point.


   - + - + - + -    Very minor subsection headers are marked above and
   X.123 Section    below with broken lines of hyphens and plus signs.
   - + - + - + -    Note three numbers after the decimal point.

FUDGE is posted to the internet in Plain Vanilla ASCII, as defined by
the Gutenberg project.  While this may be a minor inconvenience when
translating to certain word processors, it assures that FUDGE will be
available to as wide an audience as possible, both now and twenty
years from now when most other current formats will be obsolete.

Keep the following in mind when setting FUDGE in a proportional font:

   No tabs are used at all.

   Most indentations are either three, six, or nine spaces.  The few
   exceptions are tables where the first column is centered under the
   heading, which sometimes requires an indentation of one or two
   spaces.

   Examples that are one or more paragraphs long are indented three
   spaces.  Section-long examples (such as Section 4.7, Combat and
   Wounding Example) are exceptions.  In such a case, *commentary* is
   indented three spaces.

   A *table* is defined as text that will be garbled in a proportional
   font.  These are set off with [TABLE] and [END TABLE] as a warning
   to the typesetter.  However, most tables in Chapter 6 are not set
   off because the majority of the chapter consists of tables.  Some
   other tables are not marked as [TABLE] because they are readable
   "as is" in proportional font.

   There are two easy ways to set tables in proportional font:

   1) Open the file in a monospaced file browser (such as Windows
      Notepad) and view the table in question on screen or in a
      printout.  Adjust the table in the proportional font
      accordingly.

   2) Copy the table right in the document, change the copied table to
      a monospaced font (such as Courier), and with that as a guide
      adjust the table in the proportional font accordingly.  Then
      delete the copied monospace table.


=====================
1  Character Creation
=====================

This chapter contains all the information you'll need to create human
characters, including character traits and trait levels, and some
different ways to allocate them.

For non-human characters - or characters with supernormal abilities
(magic, psionics, super powers, etc.) - you will also need to read
Chapter 2, Supernormal Powers, before your characters will be
complete.

-----------------------------
1.1  Character Creation Terms
-----------------------------

Trait: anything that describes a character.  A trait can be an
   attribute, skill, inherited gift, fault, supernormal power, or any
   other feature that describes a character.  The GM is the ultimate
   authority on what is an attribute and what is a skill, gift, etc.

Level: most traits are described by one of seven adjectives.  These
   seven descriptive words represent *levels* a trait may be at.  In
   addition, the Objective Character Creation method grants the player
   free levels, and demands he keep track of them.  In this case, one
   level is required to raise a trait to the next better adjective.

Attribute: any trait that *everyone* in the game world has, in some
   degree or other.  See Section 1.31, Attributes, for a sample list
   of attributes.  On a scale of Terrible ... Fair ... Superb, the
   average human will have an attribute at Fair.

Skill: any trait that isn't an attribute, but can be improved through
   practice.  The default for an unlisted skill is usually Poor,
   though that can vary up or down a little.

Gift: any trait that isn't an attribute or skill, but is something
   positive for the character.  Some GMs will define a certain trait
   as a gift, while others will define the same trait as an attribute.
   In general, if the trait doesn't easily fit the Terrible ... Fair
   ... Superb scale, it's probably a gift.

Fault: any trait that limits a character's actions, or earns him a bad
   reaction from other people.

Supernormal Power: although technically gifts, supernormal powers are
   treated separately in Chapter 2.

-----------------------
1.2  FUDGE Trait Levels
-----------------------

FUDGE uses ordinary words to describe various traits of a character.
The following terms of a seven-level sequence are suggested (from best
to worst):

   Superb
   Great
   Good
   Fair
   Mediocre
   Poor
   Terrible

These levels should be written on each character sheet for easy
reference.

A GM may alter this list in any way she desires, including expanding
or shrinking it.  For example, if Superb doesn't sound right to you,
use Awesome - or even Way Cool.  If the words Mediocre and Fair don't
make sense to you, change them.  These seven terms will be used in the
rules, however, for clarity.

To remember the order, compare adjacent words.  If, as a beginner,
your eventual goal is to become an excellent game player, for example,
ask yourself if you'd rather be called a Fair game player or a
Mediocre game player.

There is an additional level that can be used in FUDGE, but is not
listed above: Legendary, which is beyond Superb.  Those with Legendary
Strength, for example, are in the 99.9th percentile, and their names
can be found in any book of world records.

IMPORTANT NOTE: not every GM will allow PCs to become Legendary.  Even
in games that *do* include the Legendary level, it is not recommended
that any character be allowed to *start* the game as Legendary.
Superb represents the 98th to 99.9th percentile of any given trait,
which should be enough for any beginning PC.  Of course, if a player
character gets a bit overconfident, meeting an *NPC* Legendary
swordswoman can be a grounding experience. . .

If someone really *has* to begin play as a Legendary swordsman, strong
man, etc., doing the GM's laundry for half a year or so (in advance)
should be sufficient bribe to be allowed to start at that level.  Of
course, working towards Legendary makes a great campaign goal, and so
PCs may rise to that height, given enough playing time and a generous
GM.

---------------------
1.3  Character Traits
---------------------

Traits are divided into Attributes, Skills, Gifts, Faults and
Supernormal Powers.  Not every GM will have all five types of traits
in her game.  These traits are defined in Section 1.1, Character
Creation Terms.

- - - - - - - - -
1.31  Attributes
- - - - - - - - -

Gamers often disagree on how many attributes a game should have.  Some
prefer few attributes, others many.  Even those that agree on the
number of attributes may disagree on the selection.  While FUDGE
discusses some attributes (Strength, Fatigue, Constitution, etc.) in
later sections, none of these are mandatory.  The only attribute the
basic FUDGE rules assume is Damage Capacity, and even that is optional
- see Section 4.52, Damage Capacity.

Here is a partial list of attributes in use by other games; select to
your taste, or skip these altogether:

   Body: Agility, Aim, Appearance, Balance, Brawn, Build,
   Constitution, Coordination, Deftness, Dexterity, Endurance,
   Fatigue, Fitness, Health, Hit Points, Manual Dexterity, Muscle,
   Nimbleness, Quickness, Physical, Reflexes, Size, Smell, Speed,
   Stamina, Strength, Wound Resistance, Zip, and so on.

   Mind: Cunning, Education, Intelligence, Knowledge, Learning,
   Mechanical, Memory, Mental, Mental Strength, Perception, Reasoning,
   Smarts, Technical, Wit, and so on.

   Soul: Channeling, Charisma, Charm, Chutzpah, Common Sense,
   Coolness, Disposition, Drive, Ego, Empathy, Fate, Honor, Intuition,
   Luck, Magic Resistance, Magic Potential, Magical Ability, Power,
   Presence, Psyche, Sanity, Self Discipline, Social, Spiritual,
   Style, Will, Wisdom, and so on, and so on.

   Other: Rank, Status, Wealth.

Most games combine many of these attributes, while others treat some
of them as gifts or even skills.  In FUDGE, if you wish, you can even
split these attributes into smaller ones: Lifting Strength, Carrying
Strength, Damage-dealing Strength, etc.

At this point, the GM decides how many attributes she deems necessary
- or she might leave it up to each player.  (Commercial games range
from one or two to over 20.)  See Section 6.3, Character Examples, for
some possibilities.

- - - - - - -
1.32  Skills
- - - - - - -

Skills are not related to attributes or their levels in FUDGE.
Players are encouraged to design their characters logically - a
character with a lot of Good physical skills should probably have
better than average physical attributes, for example.  On the other
hand, FUDGE allows a player to create someone like Groo the Wanderer
(TM), who is very clumsy yet extremely skilled with his swords.

The GM should then decide what level of skill depth she wants.  Are
skills broad categories such as "Social skills," or moderately broad
abilities, such as "Inspire People, Parley, and Market Savvy," or are
they specific abilities such as "Barter, Seduce, Repartee, Persuade,
Fast-Talk, Bully, Grovel, Carouse, Flatter, Bribe," etc.?

An attribute is, in some ways, a *very* broad skill group, and skills
may be ignored altogether if desired.

Combat skills require special consideration.  The broadest possible
category is simply that: Combat Skills.  A broad range breaks that
down to Melee Weapons, Unarmed Combat, and Missile Weapons.  A
somewhat narrower approach would break down Melee Weapons into Close
Combat Melee Weapons (knives, blackjacks, etc.), One-handed Melee
Weapons (one-handed swords, axes, maces, etc.) and Two-handed Melee
Weapons (polearms, spears, battle-axes, two-handed swords, etc.).  Or,
for a precise list of skills, each group in parentheses could be
listed as a separate skill; a character skilled at using a broadsword
knows nothing about using a saber, for example.

Each choice has its merits.  Broad skill groups that include many sub-
skills make for an easy character sheet and fairly competent
characters, while specific skills allow fine-tuning a character to a
precise degree.

See Section 6.3, Character Examples, for an idea of how broadly or
finely skills can be defined in a game.

The following brief list of skill examples is not in any way intended
to be comprehensive or official.  It is merely to help those not used
to skill-based systems think of some skills for their characters.  By
all means, change the names, create new ones, compress or expand those
listed, disallow some, etc.  It is useful to print a sample skill list
on a separate sheet for each player during character creation.

Animal Skills: Animal Care, Animal Lore, Animal Training, Bee-keeping,
   Herding, Riding, Teamster, Veterinarian, etc.

Artistic skills: Aesthetics, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Literary
   Arts, Performing Arts (music, theater, storytelling, jester, dance,
   etc., and such skills as Choreography, Composition, Costuming,
   etc.), Visual Arts (painting, drawing, sculpting, etc.), and so on.

Athletic skills: Acrobatics, Aerial Acrobatics, Balance Skills,
   Boating, Climbing, Jumping, Pole-vaulting, Running, Swimming,
   Throwing, Various Sports, Zero-G Maneuvering, etc.

Combat skills: Ambush, Demolitions, Dodge, Punmanship, Quick-Draw,
   Shield, Tactics, Throwing, numerous Weapon and Unarmed Combat
   skills.

Covert skills: Acting, Breaking & Entering, Detect Traps, Deactivate
   Traps, Disguise, Forgery, Infiltrate, Intrigue, Lockpicking,
   Pickpocketing, Poisoning, Shadowing, Shady Contacts, Sleight of
   Hand, Stealth, etc.

Craft skills: Armory, Basket Making, Bowyer/Fletcher, Carpenter,
   Cooking, Knots, Leatherworking, Masonry, Pottery, Smith, Tailor,
   Weaving - many others.

Dungeon-delving skills: Avoid Traps, Fight, Find Secret Passages, Pick
   Locks, Move Quietly, Run, Tell Believable Whoppers.

Knowledge skills (a skill can represent knowledge of a subject as
   broad or narrow as the GM will allow): Alchemy, Alien Customs,
   Arcane Lore, Criminology, Cultures, Detective Fiction, Folklore,
   Geography, History, Literature, Occultism, Political Situations,
   Psychology, TV SitCom Episodes, Sciences (lots of these), etc.

Language skills: Each individual language, Pantomime, Pick Up
   Languages, etc.

Manipulative skills: Bamboozle, Bluff, Boot-licking, Bribery, Con,
   Exhort, Fast-talk, Flattery, Interrogate, Intimidate, Lying,
   Oratory, Persuade, Seduction, Street Gossip, etc.

Medical skills: Anatomy, Antidotes, Diagnosis, Doctoring, First Aid,
   Herb Preparation, Medicine, Nursing, Surgery, etc.

Merchant skills: Bargain, Barter, Business Sense, Evaluate Goods,
   Haggle, Innkeeping, Marketing, Salesmanship, Shopkeeping, etc.

Outdoor skills: Camouflage, Camping, Fishing, Forage, Herb Lore, Hide
   Traces, Hunting, Mimic Animal Noises, Nature Lore, Navigation,
   Survival, Tracking, Wildcraft, Woodcraft, etc.

Professional skills: Accounting, Begging, Bureaucracy, Farming,
   Gambling, Law, Photography, Seamanship - many others.

Social skills (Fellowship): Bar Etiquette, Camaraderie, Carouse,
   Choosing just the right gift, Control Libido, Flirting, Game
   Playing, Hold your liquor, Make Amusing Faces or Noises, Matrix
   Etiquette, Tall Tales, Uplift Spirits, Witty Insults, etc.

Social skills (Formal): Courtly Ways, Detect Lies, Diplomacy,
   Etiquette, Interviewing, Parley, Repartee, Rituals, Savoir-Faire,
   Servant, etc.

Spiritual skills: Communing with nature, Fasting, Giving comfort,
   Listening deeply, Meditation, Patience, Theology, etc.

Supernormal Power skills: Fortune Telling, Levitate, Spell Casting,
   Use Mind Control, Use Superpower, Use Telekinesis, etc.

Technical skills: Computer Build/Repair, Computer Programming,
   Computer Use, Driving, Electronics, Engineer, Mechanic, Piloting,
   Repair Scoutship Systems, Research, Shiphandling, etc.

Urban skills: Barroom Savvy, Street Etiquette, Streetwise, Urban
   Survival, etc.

- - - - - -
1.33  Gifts
- - - - - -

A gift is a positive trait that doesn't seem to fit the Terrible ...
Fair ... Superb scale that attributes and skills fall into.  However,
this will vary from GM to GM: a photographic memory is a gift to one
GM, while it is a Superb Memory attribute to another.  Some GMs will
define Charisma as an attribute, while others define it as a gift.  To
one Game Master, a character either has Night Vision or he doesn't;
another will allow characters to take different levels of it.  A Game
Master may not even have gifts in her game at all.

Alternatively, gifts can come in levels, but the levels don't
necessarily coincide with the levels used by other traits.  For
example, Status might be three- or four-tiered, or even nine-tiered
instead of fitting into the seven levels of attributes and skills.
Wealth might come only in five different levels - whatever each GM
desires.

Supernormal powers, such as the ability to cast magic spells, fly,
read minds, etc., are technically powerful gifts, but are handled
separately in Chapter 2.  Likewise, traits above the human norm, such
as a super strong fantasy or alien race, are treated by definition as
supernormal powers.

In general, if a gift isn't written on the character sheet, the
character doesn't have it.

Some possible gifts include:

   Absolute Direction; Always keeps his cool; Ambidextrous; Animal
   Empathy; Attractive; Beautiful speaking voice; Bonus to one aspect
   of an attribute; Combat Reflexes; Contacts in police force; Danger
   Sense; Extraordinary Speed; Healthy Constitution; Keen senses;
   Literate; Lucky; Many people owe him favors; Never disoriented in
   zero Gravity; Never forgets a name/face/whatever; Night Vision;
   Patron; Perfect Timing; Peripheral Vision; Quick Reflexes; Rank;
   Rapid Healing; Reputation as Hero; Scale; Sense of empathy; Single-
   minded - +1 to any lengthy task; Status; Strong Will; Tolerant;
   Tough Hide (-1 to damage) Wealth; etc.

See also Section 6.3, Character Examples, for examples of different
gifts.  Many others are possible.

- - - - - - -
1.34  Faults
- - - - - - -

Faults are anything that makes life more difficult for a character.
The primary faults are those that restrict a character's actions or
earn him a bad reaction from chance-met NPCs.  Various attitudes,
neuroses and phobias are faults; so are physical disabilities and
social stigmas.  There are heroic faults, too: a code of honor and
inability to tell a lie restrict your actions significantly, but are
not signs of flawed personality.

Some sample faults:

   Absent-Minded; Addiction; Ambitious; Amorous heartbreaker;
   Bloodlust; Blunt and tactless; Bravery indistinguishable from
   foolhardiness; Can't resist having the last word; Code of Ethics
   limits actions; Code of Honor; Compulsive Behavior; Coward;
   Curious; Finicky; Easily Distractible; Enemy; Fanatic patriot; Full
   of bluff and bluster and machismo; Garrulous; Getting old; Glutton;
   Goes Berserk if Wounded; Gossip; Greedy; Gullible; Humanitarian
   (helps the needy for no pay); Idealist - not grounded in reality;
   Indecisive; Intolerant; Jealous of Anyone Getting More Attention;
   Lazy; Loyal to Companions; Manic-Depressive; Melancholy; Multiple
   Personality; Must obey senior officers; Nosy; Obsession; Outlaw;
   Overconfident; Owes favors; Phobias; Poor; Practical Joker; Quick-
   Tempered; Quixotic; Self-defense Pacifist; Socially awkward; Soft-
   hearted; Stubborn; Quick to take offense; Unlucky; Vain; Violent
   when enraged; Vow; Worry Wart; Zealous behavior; etc.

See also Section 6.3, Character Examples, for examples of different
faults.  Many others are possible.

- - - - - - - - -
1.35  Personality
- - - - - - - - -

A character's personality may be represented by one or more traits, or
it can be written out as character background or description.

   As an example of the first case, courage is an attribute, a gift or
   even a fault.  As an attribute, Superb Courage or Terrible Courage
   has an obvious meaning.  As a gift, obvious bravery gives the
   character a positive reaction from people he meets (assuming they
   see him being courageous, or have heard of his deeds, of course).

   However, both Very Courageous and Very Cowardly can be faults
   because they can limit a character's actions.  A courageous
   character might not run away from a fight even if it were in his
   best interest, while a cowardly one would have a hard time staying
   in a fight even if he stood to gain by staying.

   Or a character's level of courage might not be a quantified trait
   at all, but something the player simply decides.  "Moose is very
   brave," a player jots down, and that is that.  It doesn't have to
   count as a high attribute, gift or fault.

A player should ask the GM how she wants to handle specific
personality traits.  If the player describes his character in detail,
the GM can easily decide which personality traits are attributes,
gifts, or faults.  However they are handled, most characters benefit
by having their personalities fleshed out.

- - - - - - - - - -
1.36  Fudge Points
- - - - - - - - - -

Fudge Points are meta-game gifts that may be used to buy "luck" during
a game - they let the *players* fudge a game result.  These are "meta-
game" gifts because they operate at the player-GM level, not
character-character level.  Not every GM will allow Fudge Points -
those who prefer realistic games should probably not use them.

The GM sets the starting number of Fudge Points.  The recommended
range is from one to five.  Unused Fudge Points are saved up for the
next gaming session.  Each player may get an additional number each
gaming session.  (This is also set by the GM, and may or may not equal
the starting level.)  Alternately, the GM may simply allow Experience
Points (EP) to be traded for Fudge Points at a rate appropriate for
the campaign: three EP = one Fudge Point, down to one EP = one Fudge
Point.

Fudge Points can be used in many ways, depending on what level on the
realistic-legendary scale the game is played at.  Here are some
suggested ways to use them - the GM can create her own uses, of
course.  A GM may allow as few or many of these options as she wishes
- the players should ask her before assuming they can do something
with Fudge Points.

1) Spending a Fudge Point may accomplish an Unopposed action
   automatically and with panache - good for impressing members of the
   appropriate sex, and possibly avoiding injury in the case of
   dangerous actions.  The GM may veto this use of Fudge Points for
   actions with a Difficulty Level of Beyond Superb.  The GM may
   disallow this option for an Opposed action, such as combat.

2) A player may spend one Fudge Point to alter a die roll one level,
   up or down as desired.  The die roll can be either one the player
   makes, or one the GM makes that directly concerns the player's
   character.

3) A player may spend one Fudge Point to declare that wounds aren't as
   bad as they first looked.  This reduces the intensity of each wound
   by one or two levels (a Hurt result becomes a Scratch, for example,
   or even a Very Hurt becomes a Scratch).  Or it can mean that any
   one wound (or more), regardless of level, is just a Scratch.  This
   latter option may cost more than one Fudge point.  The GM can
   restrict this to outside of combat time.

4) A player may spend one (or more) Fudge Points to get an automatic
   +4 result, without having to roll the dice.  This use *is*
   available in Opposed actions, if allowed.

5) For appropriately legendary games, a GM-set number of Fudge Points
   can be spent to ensure a favorable coincidence.  (This is always
   subject to GM veto, of course.)  For example, if the PCs are in a
   maximum security prison, perhaps one of the guards turns out to be
   the cousin of one of the PCs - and lets them escape!  Or the
   captain of the fishing boat rescuing the PCs turns out to be
   someone who owes a favor to one of them, and is willing to take
   them out of his way to help them out . . .  And so on.  This option
   should cost a lot of Fudge Points, except in certain genres where
   bizarre coincidences are the norm.

----------------------
1.4  Allocating Traits
----------------------

Character creation in FUDGE assumes the players will *design* their
characters, rather than leaving attributes and other traits to chance.
The GM may allow randomly determined traits if she desires - a
suggested method is given in Section 1.8, Random Character Creation.

There are no mandatory traits in FUDGE.  The GM should inform the
players which traits she expects to be most important, and the players
may suggest others to the GM for her approval.  The GM may even make a
template, if desired - a collection of traits she deems important
(with room for customization) - and let the players define the level
of each trait.  See Section 6.12, Templates.

When a character is created, the player should define as many
character traits as he finds necessary - which may or may not coincide
with a GM-determined list.  If a player adds an attribute the GM deems
unnecessary, the GM may treat that attribute as simply a *description*
of the character.  She may require a roll against a different
attribute than the player has in mind, and the player must abide by
her decision.

   As an example, a certain GM decides she wants characters to have a
   general Dexterity attribute.  A player takes Good Dexterity for his
   PC, but wants to show that the character is better at whole body
   dexterity than at manual dexterity.  So he writes: Great Agility
   and Fair Manual Dexterity.  However, the GM can ignore these
   distinctions, and simply require a Dexterity roll, since that is
   the trait she has chosen.  (She can average the PC-chosen levels,
   or simply select one of them.)  Of course, she can also allow him
   to roll on the attributes he has created.

In FUDGE, a character with a trait at Fair will succeed at ordinary
tasks 62% of the time - there is usually no need to create a
superstar.  In fact, Great is just that: great!  Superb should be
reserved for the occasional trait in which your character is the best
he's ever met.

Any trait that is not defined at character creation will be at a
default level:

   For attributes: Fair.

   For most skills: Poor (easier skills are at Mediocre, while harder
   ones are at Terrible).  A skill default means untrained, or close
   to it.  However, it is possible to take a skill at Terrible (below
   the default level for most skills), which implies an ineptitude
   worse than untrained.

   For most gifts, supernormal powers and certain GM-defined skills:
   Non-Existent.  (That is, the *default* is non-existent.  The trait
   itself exists in *some* character, somewhere.)

Each player should expect the GM to modify his character after
creation - it's the nature of the game.  The GM should expect to
review each character before play.  It would, in fact, be best if the
characters were made in the presence of the GM so she can answer
questions during the process.

----------------------------------
1.5  Subjective Character Creation
----------------------------------

An easy way to create a character in FUDGE is simply to write down
everything about the character that you feel is important.  Any
attribute or skill should be rated using one of the levels Terrible
through Superb (see Section 1.2, FUDGE Trait Levels).

It may be easiest, though, if the GM supplies a template of attributes
she'll be using.  See Section 6.3, Character Examples, for template
ideas.

The GM may also tell the player in advance that his character can be
Superb in a certain number of attributes, Great in so many others, and
Good in yet another group.  For example, in an epic-style game with
eight attributes, the GM allows one Superb attribute, two Greats, and
three Goods.  In a more realistic game, this is one Superb, one Great,
and two Goods.

This can apply to skills, too: one Superb skill, two Great skills, and
six Good skills is a respectable number for a realistic campaign,
while two Superbs, three Greats, and ten Goods is quite generous, even
in a highly cinematic game.

The GM may also simply limit the number of skills a character can take
at character creation: 10, 15, or 20 are possible choices.

Gifts and faults can be restricted this way, also.  For example, a GM
allows a character to have two gifts, but he must take at least three
faults.  Taking another fault allows another gift, or another skill at
Great, and so on.

These limitations help the player define the focus of the character a
bit better: what is his best trait (what can he do best)?

A simple "two lower for one higher" trait-conversion mechanic can also
be used.  If the GM allows one Superb attribute, for example, the
player may forego that and take two attributes at Great, instead.  The
converse may also be allowed: a player may swap two skills at Good to
get one at Great.

   Example: a player wants a Jack-of-all-trades character, and the GM
   has limits of one Superb skill, two Great skills and six Good
   skills.  The player trades the one Superb skill limit for two Great
   skills: he can now take four skills at Great.  However, he trades
   all four Great skills in order to have eight more Good skills.  His
   character can now have 14 skills at Good, but none at any higher
   levels.

In the Subjective Character Creation system, it is easy to use both
broad and narrow skill groups, as appropriate for the character.  In
these cases, a broad skill group is assumed to contain the phrase,
"except as listed otherwise."

   For example, a player wishes to play the science officer of a
   starship.  He decides this character has spent so much time
   studying the sciences, that he's weak in most physical skills.  So
   on his character sheet he could simply write:

      Physical Skills: Poor

   He also decides that his character's profession would take him out
   of the ship in vacuum quite a bit, to examine things.  So he'd have
   to be somewhat skilled at zero-G maneuvering.  So he then adds:

      Zero-G Maneuvering: Good

   Even though this is a physical skill, it is not at Poor because he
   specifically listed it as an exception to the broad category.

When the character write-up is done, the player and GM meet and
discuss the character.  If the GM feels the character is too potent
for the campaign she has in mind, she may ask the player to reduce the
character's power - see Section 1.9, Minimizing Abuse.

The GM may also need to suggest areas that she sees as being too weak
- perhaps she has a game situation in mind that will test a trait the
player didn't think of.  Gentle hints, such as "Does he have any
social skills?" can help the player through the weak spots.  Of
course, if there are multiple players, other PCs can compensate for an
individual PC's weaknesses.  In this case, the question to the whole
group is then, "Does *anyone* have any social skills?"

Instead of the player writing up the character in terms of traits and
levels, he can simply write out a prose description of his character.
This requires the GM to translate everything into traits and
appropriate levels, but that's not hard to do if the description is
well written.  This method actually produces some of the best
characters.

An example:

   GM: "I see you rate Captain Wallop's blaster skill highly, and also
   his piloting and gunnery, but I'm only allowing one Superb skill -
   which is he best at?"

   Player: "Blaster!"

   GM: "Okay, Superb Blaster.  That would then be Great Piloting and
   Great Gunnery, all right?  That leaves you with two more skills to
   be at Great, since I allow four to start out.  Hmmm - I notice he
   successfully penetrated the main Khothi hive and rescued the
   kidnapped ambassador - that sounds like a Great Ability to Move
   Quietly to me - is that accurate, or would you describe it as some
   other ability?"

   Player: "Uh, no - sorry, I didn't write that clearly enough.  He
   disguised himself and pretended to be a Khothi worker."

   GM: "Ah, I see.  How about Great Disguise skill and Great Acting
   ability, then?  And he must be Good at the Khothi language, right?"

   And so on.

---------------------------------
1.6  Objective Character Creation
---------------------------------

For those who don't mind counting numbers a bit, the following method
creates interesting and well-balanced characters.

In this system, all traits start at default level.  The GM then allows
a number of free levels the players may use to raise selected traits
to higher levels.  Players may then lower certain traits in order to
raise others even further.  Finally, a player may opt to trade some
levels of one trait type (such as attributes) for another (skills, for
example).  The whole process insures that no single character will
dominate every aspect of play.

- - - - - - - - -
1.61  Attributes
- - - - - - - - -

A GM using the Objective Character Creation system should decide how
many attributes she deems necessary in the campaign.  She can choose
to leave it up to each player, if she wishes.  Players then have a
number of free attribute levels equal to half the number of attributes
(round up).  For example, if she selects four attributes, each player
starts with two free levels he can use to raise his character's
attributes.

For a more high-powered game, the GM may allow a number of free levels
*equal to* the number of attributes chosen.

All attributes are considered to be Fair until the player raises or
lowers them.  The cost of raising or lowering an attribute is

   [TABLE]
   +3  Superb
   +2  Great
   +1  Good
    0  Fair
   -1  Mediocre
   -2  Poor
   -3  Terrible
   [END TABLE]

Example:

   A player may raise his Strength attribute (which is Fair by
   default) to Good by spending one free attribute level.  He could
   then spend another free level to raise Strength again to Great.
   This would exhaust his free levels if there were only four
   attributes - but he would have one more if there were six
   attributes, and eight more free levels if there were 20 attributes.

When the free attribute levels have been exhausted, an attribute can
be raised further by lowering another attribute an equal amount.  (See
also Section 1.64, Trading Traits.)  From the previous example,
Strength can be raised one more level (to Superb) if the player lowers
the character's Charm to Mediocre to compensate for the increase in
Strength.

If the GM allows the players to choose their own attributes, she may
simply tell them to take half as many free levels as attributes they
choose.  If a player chooses an attribute and leaves it at Fair, that
attribute does *not* count towards the total of attributes which
determines the amount of free levels.  That is, a player cannot simply
add twelve attributes, all at Fair, in order to get six more free
levels to raise the others with.  GM-mandated attributes left at Fair
*do* count when determining the number of free levels, though.

As an interesting possibility for those who want attributes and skills
to reflect each other accurately, do not let the players adjust
attribute levels at all.  Instead, they select only skill levels,
gifts and faults for their characters.  When the character is done,
the GM can then determine what attribute levels make sense for the
skill levels chosen, and discuss it with the player.

   Example: a character is made with many combat and wilderness
   skills, but no social skills.  He also has a smattering of
   intelligence skills.  The GM decides that this character has
   Strength, Dexterity and Health of Great from spending a lot of time
   outdoors, practicing with weapons, etc.  She will even let the
   player choose one to be at Superb, if desired.  Perception is
   probably Good, since wilderness survival depends on it.  Any social
   attribute is Mediocre at best - possibly even Poor - while
   Intelligence is Mediocre or Fair.  If the player objects to the low
   Intelligence ranking, the GM can point out that the character
   hasn't spent much time in skills that hone Intelligence, and if he
   wants his character's IQ to be higher, he should adjust his skill
   list.

- - - - - - -
1.62  Skills
- - - - - - -

In the Objective Character Creation system, each player has a number
of free skill levels with which to raise his skills.  Suggested limits
are:

   For Extremely Broad Skill Groups: 15 levels.
   For Moderately Broad Skill Groups: 30 levels.
   For Specific Skills: 40 to 60 levels.

Ask the GM for the allotted amount, which will give you a clue as to
how precisely to define your skills.  Of course, the GM may choose any
number that suits her, such as 23, 42, or 74 . . .  See Section 6.3,
Character Examples.  Game Masters may devise their own skill lists to
choose from - some possibilities are included in Section 1.32, Skills.

Most skills have a default value of Poor unless the player raises or
lowers them - see Section 1.4, Allocating Traits.

Certain skills have a default of non-existent.  These would include
Languages, Karate, Nuclear Physics, or Knowledge of Aztec Rituals,
which must be studied to be known at all.  When a character studies
such a skill (puts a level into it at character creation, or
experience points later in the game), the level he gets it at depends
on how hard it is to learn.  Putting one level into learning the
Spanish language, for example, would get it at Mediocre, since it's of
average difficulty to learn.  Nuclear Physics, on the other hand,
might only be Poor or even Terrible with only one level put into it.
It would take four levels just to get such a skill at Fair, for
example.

For ease in character creation, use the following table:

   [TABLE]
   Cost of Skills in Objective Character Creation:
   ----------------------------------------------

                | Easy | Most | Hard | VH
   Terrible ..  |  -2  |  -1  |   0  |  1
   Poor ......  |  -1  |   0  |   1  |  2
   Mediocre ..  |   0  |   1  |   2  |  3
   Fair ......  |   1  |   2  |   3  |  4
   Good ......  |   2  |   3  |   4  |  5
   Great .....  |   3  |   4  |   5  |  6
   Superb ....  |   4  |   5  |   6  |  7
   [END TABLE]

   Easy = Cost of GM-Determined Easy Skills
   Most = Cost of Average Skill
   Hard = Cost of GM-Determined Hard Skills
   VH = Cost of GM-Determined Very Hard Skills (usually related to
      Supernormal Powers)

As in the Subjective Character Creation system, the GM may limit the
number of Superb and Great skills each character may have *at
character creation*.  For a highly cinematic or super-powered game, no
limit is necessary.  For example, the GM sets a limit of one Superb
skill, three or four Great skills, and eight or so Good skills.  These
limits can be exceeded through character development, of course.  See
Section 6.3, Character Examples.

Once the free levels are used up, a skill must be dropped one level
(from the default Poor to Terrible) to raise another skill one level.
(See also Section 1.64, Trading Traits.)  All choices are subject to
GM veto, of course.

It is possible to mix different breadths of skill groupings.  A GM who
has little interest in combat can simply choose Unarmed Combat, Melee
Weapons and Ranged Weapons as the only three combat skills.  But this
does not stop her from using all the individual Social skills (and
many more) listed as examples in Section 1.32, Skills.  If this option
is chosen, the broad groups cost double the levels of the narrower
groups.

Mixing skill group sizes within the same areas is awkward in the
Objective Character Creation system.  For example, it is difficult to
have a generic Thief Skills group and also have individual skills of
lockpicking, pick-pocketing, palming, security-device dismantling,
etc.  If she *does* wish to do this, then the broad skill group *in
this case* has a maximum limit of Good, and *triple* cost to raise -
or more, if the GM so mandates.

If the GM is using broad groups, a player may raise a specific skill
(such as Poker, for example, instead of general Gambling skill).  A
player would give his character a specific skill when the GM is using
broad-based skill groups to fit a character concept.  Do not expect
the character to be equally adept with the other skills in the group.
This would be true for Groo the Wanderer (TM), for instance, who would
simply raise Sword skill, even if the GM is using the broad term Melee
Weapons as a skill group.  Groo would have, in fact, a Poor rating
with all other Melee weapons, and this would accurately reflect the
character.

- - - - - - - - - - -
1.63  Gifts & Faults
- - - - - - - - - - -

If the GM has gifts in her game, she may allow player characters to
start with one or two free gifts - more for epic campaigns.  Any
further gifts taken must be balanced by taking on a fault, or by
trading traits.

A player may gain extra trait levels by taking GM-approved faults at
the following rate:

   1 fault = 1 gift.
   1 fault = 2 attribute levels.
   1 fault = 6 skill levels.

However, the GM may rule that a particular fault is not serious enough
to be worth two attribute levels, but may be worth one attribute level
or three skill levels.  On the other hand, severe faults may be worth
more attribute levels.

- - - - - - - - - - -
1.64  Trading Traits
- - - - - - - - - - -

During character creation, free levels may be traded (in either
direction) at the following rate:

   1 attribute level = 3 skill levels.
   1 gift = 6 skill levels.
   1 gift = 2 attribute levels.

Fudge Points cannot be traded without GM permission.  (If tradable,
each Fudge Point should be equal to one or two gifts.)

So a player with three free attribute levels and 30 free skill levels
may trade three of his skill levels to get another free attribute
level, or six skill levels to get another free gift.

-----------------------
1.7  Uncommitted Traits
-----------------------

Whether the character is created subjectively or objectively, each
character has some free uncommitted traits (perhaps two or three).  At
some point in the game, a player will realize that he forgot something
about the character that should have been mentioned.  He may request
to stop the action, and define a previously undefined trait, subject
to the GM's approval.  A sympathetic GM will allow this to happen even
during combat time.

GM-set skill limits (such as one Superb, three Greats) are still in
effect: if the character already has the maximum number of Superb
skills allowed, he can't make an uncommitted trait a Superb skill.

See the sample character, Dolores Ramirez, Section 6.331.

------------------------------
1.8  Random Character Creation
------------------------------

Some players like to roll their attributes randomly.  Here is one
possible method to use in such cases.  Alternate techniques can be
easily designed.

Have the player roll 2d6 for each *attribute*.  Use the following
table to find the attribute level:

   2 = Terrible
   4 = Poor
   3,5 = Mediocre
   6-8 = Fair
   9,11 = Good
   10 = Great
   12 = Superb

The GM needs to decide if the player still gets the standard number of
free levels or not.  She may also restrict trading levels.

For *skills*, the results are read as:

   2-5,12 = Terrible
   6-8 = Poor
   9-10 = Mediocre
   11 = Fair

The player still gets the standard number of free *skill* levels, or
the GM may allow only half the normal levels.

The GM can let the players choose their gifts and faults, or she may
wish to make up separate tables of gifts and faults, and have the
players roll once or twice on each.  (Conflicting traits should be
rerolled.)  For example:

   [TABLE]
   Roll   Gift                     Fault
   ----   ----                     -----
    2     Nice Appearance          Poor Appearance
    3     Tough Hide               Bruises Easily
    4     Charismatic              Aura of Untrustworthiness
    5     Keen Hearing             Hard of Hearing
    6     Detects Lies Easily      Gullible
    7     Melodious Voice          Stammers
    8     . . .                    . . .
    [END TABLE]

And so on.  The GM should customize and complete to her taste.  Of
course, she could set up a 3d6 table instead of a 2d6 table, or even
use a 1d6 table listing general gift or fault areas (Social, Physical,
Emotional, Mental, Wealth/Status, etc.) and then roll again on an
appropriate second table.  This would allow 36 equally likely choices.

---------------------
1.9  Minimizing Abuse
---------------------

Obviously, character creation in FUDGE can be abused.  There are many
ways to avoid this:

1) The GM can require that the character take another fault or two to
   balance the power.  ("Okay I'll allow you to have all that . . .
   but you need a challenge.  Take on another weakness: maybe some
   secret vice, or be unable to tell a believable lie, or anything
   that fits the character concept that I can use to test you now and
   then.")

2) She can simply veto any trait (or raised/lowered combination) she
   feels is abusive.  ("I see you raised Battle-Axe in exchange for
   lowering Needlepoint.  Hmmm.")  This allows the GM to customize the
   power level of a game.  For high-powered games, allow most
   anything; for less cinematic campaigns, make them trade equally
   useful trait for trait.

3) She can simply note the character weaknesses and introduce a
   situation into every adventure where at least one of them is
   significant to the mission.  ("You'll be sent as an emissary to the
   Wanduzi tribe - they value fine Needlepoint work above all other
   skills, by the way . . .")

4) She can use the "disturbance in the force" technique of making sure
   that more powerful characters attract more serious problems.  ("The
   bruiser enters the bar with a maniacal look in his eye.  He scans
   the room for a few seconds, then begins to stare intently at you.")

[End of Chapter 1.  FUDGE continues in File FUDGE2.]

