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!"#$%&'( $ !*$"$+%#"
Befoie you can play the B0NuE0NS & BRAu0NS
game, you neeu to cieate a chaiactei: the
peisona you play uuiing the game. You
iecoiu youi chaiactei's infoimation on a
!"#$#!%&$ ("&&%. Youi Bungeon Nastei (BN)
might have chaiacteis alieauy piepaieu, oi
you can cieate youi own.
Cieating a chaiactei involves a few steps
that iequiie you to make impoitant uecisions
about youi chaiactei. Befoie you stait, you
might finu it helpful to think about the kinu of
chaiactei you want to play. You might be a
couiageous knight, a skulking iogue, a pious
cleiic, oi a stuuious wizaiu. 0i you might be
moie inteiesteu in an unconventional
chaiactei, such as a biawny iogue who likes
to mix it up in hanu-to-hanu combat, oi a
shaipshootei who picks off enemies fiom afai.
Following these steps in oiuei helps you
cieate the chaiactei you want to play.
Step 1: Beteimine Ability
Scoies
Nuch of what youi chaiactei can uo in the
game uepenu on his oi hei abilities (Stiength,
Bexteiity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisuom,
anu Chaiisma). Each ability has a scoie, which
is a numbei you iecoiu on youi chaiactei
sheet.
Noimally, you geneiate those numbeis
ianuomly by iolling uice. Roll foui 6-siueu
uice (the oiuinaiy cube uice founu in many
games) anu total the highest thiee iolls,
wiiting uown that numbei on a piece of
sciatch papei. Bo this five moie times, so that
you have six numbeis. Latei, you will assign
these numbeis to youi chaiactei's ability
scoies (see step 4).
If you woulu iathei not ioll the ability
scoies, you can assign the stanuaiu set of
scoies to youi chaiactei's abilities: 1S, 14, 1S,
12, 1u, 8.
Youi Bungeon Nastei might instiuct you to
geneiate youi chaiactei's ability scoies by
anothei methou.

CpLlonal 8ule: CusLomlzlng
AblllLy Scores
1hls meLhod allows bulldlng a characLer wlLh
exacLly Lhe ablllLy scores you wanL. SLarL wlLh
an 8 ln all slx ablllLy scores. 1hen spend 27
polnLs Lo lmprove Lhem. Apply raclal and class
ablllLy bonuses afLer spendlng Lhe polnLs. 1he
cosL of ralslng a score from one number Lo a
hlgher number ls shown below.

"#$%& '$()
9 1
10 2
11 3
12 4
13 3
14 7
13 9
Step 2: Choose a Race
Eveiy chaiactei has a iace. The most common
playable iaces in the game aie uwaives, elves,
halflings, anu humans. See the "Races"
uocument foi moie infoimation. 0thei iaces
might be available, at youi Bungeon Nastei's
uiscietion.
The iace you choose contiibutes to youi
chaiactei's iuentity in an impoitant way, by
establishing geneial appeaiance anu natuial
talents gaineu fiom cultuie anu ancestiy.
Youi chaiactei's iace giants seveial %$#)%(,
such as aujustments to ability scoies, special
senses, talent with ceitain weapons, oi access
to minoi spells. These tiaits sometimes point
towaiu ceitain classes (see step S). Foi
example, the iacial tiaits gianteu by lightfoot
halflings make them exceptional iogues,
while high elves tenu to be poweiful wizaius.
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Recoiu all the tiaits gianteu by youi iace
on youi chaiactei sheet.
Step S: Choose a Class
Eveiy chaiactei belongs to a class. Class
bioauly uesciibes what youi chaiactei uoes,
what special talents he oi she possesses, anu
the tactics he oi she is most likely to employ
when exploiing a uungeon, fighting monsteis,
oi navigating a tense negotiation.
The most common classes incluue the cleiic,
the fightei, the iogue, anu the wizaiu. *+&$)!(
aie champions enuoweu with magic fiom the
gous, ,)-"%&$( aie tough waiiiois anu
weapon specialists, $.-/&( aie expeit in
many skills anu skulluuggeiy, anu 0)1#$2(
aie masteis of aicane magic. See the sections
uealing with those classes foi moie about
them. 0thei classes might be available, at
youi Bungeon Nastei's uiscietion.
Recoiu all the staiting chaiactei
infoimation anu featuies gianteu by youi
class on youi chaiactei sheet.
0ptional: Choose a Backgiounu
Youi chaiactei coulu have a backgiounu, a
stoiy that uesciibes wheie he oi she came
fiom, his oi hei oiiginal occupation, anu the
chaiactei's place in the B&B woilu.
Backgiounus aie optional, anu youi BN
might not use them in his oi hei campaign.
The section on each class in the "Classes"
uocument suggests a backgiounu, iuentifying
an oiigin common to membeis of that class.
You can take this backgiounu oi choose a
uiffeient one fiom among those in the
"Backgiounus" uocument. Youi BN might
offei auuitional backgiounus beyonu the ones
incluueu theie.
A backgiounu giants (3)++(, each an aiea of
expeitise that can mouify ceitain kinus of
checks, anu a %$#)%, a geneial benefit. Recoiu
these on youi chaiactei sheet.
0ptional: Choose a Specialty
}ust as youi class tells you what you can uo,
youi specialty tells you how you uo it. A
specialty fuithei uefines youi chaiactei's
piefeiieu combat tactics anu investigative
methous, aiising fiom paiticulai stuuies,
inheient talents, oi focuseu tiaining.
Specialties aie optional, anu youi BN might
not use them in his oi hei campaign.
The section on each class in the "Classes"
uocument suggests a specialty, iuentifying
common tactics useu by membeis of that
class. You can take this specialty oi choose a
uiffeient one fiom among those in the
"Specialties" uocument. Youi BN might offei
auuitional specialties beyonu the ones
incluueu theie.
A specialty giants a ,&#%, a special ability, at
1st level anu auuitional feats at highei levels.
Recoiu these on youi chaiactei sheet.
Step 4: Assign Ability
Scoies
Now that you have ueciueu on youi
chaiactei's iace anu class, you have a goou
iuea wheie to put the best ability scoies. Foi
example, if you cieateu a fightei, you
piobably want Stiength to be youi highest
scoie, anu if you chose high elf as youi iace,
you get a boost to Intelligence anu aie
piobably well suiteu to the wizaiu class.
uo back to the sciatch papei wheie you
jotteu uown the six numbeis you came up
with uuiing step 1. Wiite each numbei besiue
one of youi chaiactei's six abilities to assign
scoies foi Stiength, Bexteiity, Constitution,
Intelligence, Wisuom, anu Chaiisma.
Afteiwaiu, iemembei to make any changes to
ability scoies as a iesult of iace anu class
aujustments. Aftei aujustments, a scoie can
be no highei than 2u.
This is a goou time to woik out youi #4)+)%5
(!.$& 6.2),)&$(. You can finu this
infoimation in the table in the "Ability
Nouifieis" section of the "Bow to Play"
uocument. Wiite uown the mouifiei besiue
each of youi scoies, insiue the biackets
piinteu on youi chaiactei sheet.
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Step S: Figuie 0ut Combat
Numbeis
It's a fact of the auventuiing life that
chaiacteis get into fights with monsteis anu
othei hostile beings, so you'll neeu to know
some impoitant numbeis foi combat. Youi
chaiactei sheet has a numbei of entiies foi
you to iecoiu combat numbeis: hit points
(hp), Bit Bice (BB), Aimoi Class (AC),
initiative mouifiei, anu attack bonuses. You
can finu moie infoimation about these
numbeis in the "Combat" section of the "Bow
to Play" uocument.
*#+!/+#%& ")% 7.)8%( 9"7:; Bit points uefine
how tough youi chaiactei is in combat. The
section on youi chaiactei class in the "Classes"
uocument uesciibes how to calculate this
numbei, which is youi hit point maximum. As
you inciease in level, this maximum incieases
too.
Follow the instiuctions in youi class, anu
iecoiu youi chaiactei's hit points.
<.%& =)% >)!& 9=>:; A chaiactei who iests
can use Bit Bice to iecovei hit points. A
chaiactei gets one Bit Bie pei level. The uie's
type is ueteimineu by class (anu sometimes
othei featuies). Recoiu the numbei anu type
of Bit Bice.
>&%&$6)8& ?$6.$ *+#(( 9?*:; Youi
chaiactei's aimoi, shielu, Bexteiity mouifiei,
anu othei featuies contiibute to Aimoi Class,
which iepiesents how haiu youi chaiactei is
to hit in battle. If you choose not to weai
aimoi, youi AC equals 1u + youi Bexteiity
mouifiei. 0theiwise, calculate youi AC using
the numbeis given foi the aimoi oi shielu in
the "Equipment" uocument, anu iecoiu total.
>&%&$6)8& )8)%)#%)@& 6.2),)&$; Chaiacteis
act in oiuei in combat accoiuing to theii
initiative. Youi chaiactei's initiative mouifiei
equals youi Bexteiity mouifiei plus any
mouifieis fiom class, iace, oi othei featuies.
0nce you have woikeu out youi initiative
mouifiei, note it on youi chaiactei sheet.
*#+!/+#%& #%%#!3 6.2),)&$(; A chaiactei
can make two kinus of attacks: melee (hanu-
to-hanu combat) anu iangeu (shooting oi
thiowing things fiom a uistance). Youi melee
attack mouifiei is youi Stiength mouifiei plus
bonuses oi penalties fiom othei souices.
Youi iangeu attack mouifiei is youi Bexteiity
mouifiei plus bonuses oi penalties fiom othei
souices. (Feats oi othei chaiactei featuies
might let you use a uiffeient ability scoie foi
eithei soit of attack.) Wiite uown youi attack
mouifieis, using the weapons youi chaiactei
wielus, on youi chaiactei sheet.
Some chaiacteis can cast spells. The class
uesciiption states what ability, such as
Intelligence oi Wisuom, that youi chaiactei
uses foi magical attacks. If you cast a spell
that instiucts you to make an attack, you
noimally use youi 6#-)!#+ #4)+)%5 6.2),)&$
insteau of Stiength oi Bexteiity. Wiite uown
this numbei on youi chaiactei sheet. Some
spells insteau iequiie the taiget to make a
(#@)8- %"$.0; youi chaiactei class
uesciiption explains how to calculate this
numbei. Recoiu it on youi chaiactei sheet.
Youi chaiactei class might pioviue a bonus
to attack iolls with weapons oi with spells.
Take a look at the class table in youi
chaiactei's class uesciiption. If it incluues a
"Weapon Attack" column, auu the listeu
numbei to youi attack mouifiei with
weapons; if it incluues a "Nagic Attack"
column, auu that numbei to youi attack
mouifiei with spells.
Step 6: Auu Finishing
Touches
With youi iace, class, anu abilities ueciueu
(along with backgiounu anu specialty, if
applicable), you'ie just about uone. The iest
of youi chaiactei sheet is wheie you wiite
uown the little uetails that help biing youi
chaiactei to life. 0thei than equipment, all of
these choices aie optional, but the moie time
you spenu thinking about what makes youi
chaiactei unique, the iichei youi ioleplaying
expeiience can be.
Choose Equipment
Youi backgiounu anu class both suggest
packages of staiting equipment, incluuing
weapons, aimoi, anu othei auventuiing geai.
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You can choose this equipment to get staiteu
quickly.
Alteinatively, you can puichase youi
staiting equipment. You have 1Su golu pieces
(gp) to spenu. See the "Equipment" uocument
foi uetails. 0nce you have ueciueu on youi
chaiactei's staiting equipment, iecoiu these
items on youi chaiactei sheet.
Besciibe Youi Chaiactei
Beie's wheie you fill in the physical anu
peisonality uetails about youi chaiactei.
Spenu a few minutes thinking about what he
oi she looks like anu how he oi she behaves
in geneial teims. It's a goou iuea to take into
account youi chaiactei's ability scoies anu
iace when making these uecisions.
A)!3 # 8#6&; You shoulu come up with a
suitable name foi youi chaiactei. Youi
chaiactei's iace uesciiption incluues name
suggestions foi membeis of that iace.
>&!)2& .8 #+)-86&8%; A chaiactei's
alignment bioauly uesciibes his oi hei
attituue towaiu the woilu anu othei people.
See the "Alignment" siuebai; in geneial, evil
alignments aie appiopiiate only foi villains,
not playeis' chaiacteis. 0nce you ueciue on
an alignment, note it on youi chaiactei sheet.

AllgnmenL
A Lyplcal creaLure ln Lhe worlds of uunCLCnS &
u8ACCnS has an allgnmenL, whlch broadly
descrlbes lLs moral and personal aLLlLudes.
AllgnmenL ls a comblnaLlon of Lwo facLors: one
ldenLlfles morallLy (good, evll, or neuLral), and
Lhe oLher descrlbes aLLlLudes Loward socleLy
and order (lawful, chaoLlc, or neuLral). 1hus,
nlne dlsLlncL allgnmenLs deflne all Lhe posslble
comblnaLlons.
Lach allgnmenL descrlpLlon deplcLs a Lyplcal
characLer of LhaL allgnmenL. lndlvlduals vary
from Lhls norm, and a glven characLer mlghL acL
more or less ln accord wlLh hls or her allgnmenL
from day Lo day. ?ou should use Lhese
descrlpLlons as guldellnes, noL as scrlpLs.
AlLhough evll advenLurers exlsL, Lhey Lend Lo
cause problems ln groups wlLh oLhers who
don'L share Lhelr lnLeresLs and ob[ecLlves.
Cenerally, Lhe evll allgnmenLs are for vlllalns
and monsLers. 1he neuLral allgnmenL-
someLlmes called Lrue neuLral- ls posslble for
player characLers, buL pulllng lL off ls dlfflculL.
*+,-./ 0$$1 2*034 ?ou can be counLed on Lo
do Lhe rlghL Lhlng, as expecLed by socleLy.
5&.)%+/ 0$$1 25034 ?ou do Lhe besL you can.
'6+$)7# 0$$1 2'034 ?ou acL as your
consclence dlrecLs, wlLh llLLle regard for whaL
oLhers expecL.
*+,-./ 5&.)%+/ 2*534 ?ou acL ln accordance
wlLh law, LradlLlon, or personal codes.
5&.)%+/ 2534 ?ou seek Lo malnLaln Lhe balance
beLween law and chaos, or good and evll.
'6+$)7# 5&.)%+/ 2'534 ?ou follow your whlms.
*+,-./ 897/ 2*834 ?ou meLhodlcally Lake whaL
you wanL, wlLhln Lhe llmlLs of your code of
conducL.
5&.)%+/ 897/ 25834 ?ou do whaLever you can
geL away wlLh.
'6+$)7# 897/ 2'834 ?ou acL as dlrecLed by your
greed, haLred, and bloodlusL.
:;+/7<;&1 2:34 1hls caLegory descrlbes
creaLures LhaL are moLlvaLed purely by lnsLlncL.

B&!.$2 7"5()!#+ %$#)%(; If you wish, you
may set youi chaiactei's height anu weight,
consiueiing the infoimation pioviueu in the
iace uesciiption, as well as haii, eye, anu skin
coloi, anu age if uesiieu. You might want to
give youi chaiactei a uistinctive physical
chaiacteiistic, such as a scai, a limp, oi a
tattoo. Note these uetails on youi chaiactei
sheet.
C")83 #4./% -.#+( #82 6.%)@#%).8(; A
backstoiy, even if it's biief, can help guiue you
when ioleplaying youi chaiactei. Backgiounu
anu specialty aie goou staiting points foi
thinking about youi chaiactei's goals, taking
into account upbiinging, homelanu, life-
changing events, tiaining, anu the like. You
might also want to uiscuss youi chaiactei's
goals anu motivations with youi BN; these
uetails aie gieat foi helping ciaft auventuies
that get the playeis involveu.
>&(!$)4& 5./$ 7&$(.8#+)%5; Some notes
about youi chaiactei's peisonality can
bieathe life into youi ioleplaying. Bow uoes
youi chaiactei iesponu to stiess, uangei, oi
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moial ciises. Peihaps he oi she has an
unusual behavioial oi peisonality quiik, such
as a neivous tic, a lisp, oi a iaspy voice.
Step 7: Play!
0nce you cieate youi chaiactei, you'ie ieauy
to stait playing. Each chaiactei plays a iole
within a 7#$%5, a gioup of auventuieis
woiking togethei foi a common puipose.
Teamwoik anu coopeiation gieatly impiove
youi paity's chances to suivive the many
uangeis you face in the woilus of B0NuE0NS &
BRAu0NS. Talk to youi fellow playeis anu youi
BN to ueciue whethei youi chaiacteis know
one anothei, how they met, anu what soits of
quests the gioup might unueitake.
The Futuie: Auvancement
As youi chaiactei auventuies anu oveicomes
challenges, he oi she gains expeiience,
iepiesenteu by expeiience points (XP). A
chaiactei who ieaches a specifieu expeiience
point total auvances in capability. This is
calleu gaining a level.
When a chaiactei gains a level, his oi hei
class might giant auuitional abilities, as
uesciibeu in the "Classes" uocument. The
chaiactei's specialty might giant new feats.
Auuitionally, at ceitain levels, you choose two
of youi chaiactei's ability scoies to inciease
by 1 each, abiuing by the iule that a
chaiactei's ability scoie cannot go above 2u.
The Chaiactei Auvancement table
summaiizes auvancement thiough the fiist
1u levels, not taking class into account. The
table notes how many expeiience points aie
iequiieu to ieach each level. Consult the
infoimation on youi chaiactei's class to see
what othei impiovements aie gianteu foi
gaining a level.

'=>?>'@8? >AB>5'8C85@
DE *&9&/ F&;&-7)
0 1 8ackground, feaL
160 2 Sklll bonus
640 3 leaL
1,480 4 Sklll bonus, +1 Lo Lwo ablllLy scores
3,400 3
6,320 6 Sklll bonus, feaL
10,600 7
18,040 8 Sklll bonus, +1 Lo Lwo ablllLy scores
28,120 9 leaL
41,320 10 Sklll bonus

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