Basic Expert: creating characters for the Ultima fantasy setting

 Ultima was one of those early D&D computer games where you explored a world battling monsters, and finding treasure.

CREATING A CHARACTER
It employed a Point-buy system. You would Distribute your 30 attribute points among the six available attributes:

Attribute                 Effect
Strength                 Determines the severity of your blows during battle.

Intelligence          Affects the potency of offensive spells and the
                                purchase price of goods in shops.

Wisdom                 Determines the reliability of spellcasting and the
                                purchase price of spells in magic shops.

Agility                     Determines the probability of successfully striking a
                                 foe and the probability of avoiding attacks. Also affects
                                 your ability as a thief.

Stamina                 Determines your ability to survive wounds in battle and
                                your ability to stay on your feet at the tavern.

Charisma              Affects the selling price of your possessions in shops.

Step 1: Select a Race
Note that each has specific advantages, based on the following point values automatically assigned to your character's attributes.

Race             Attribute Bonus
HUMAN       +5 Intelligence
ELF               +5 Agility
DWARF        +5 Strength
HOBBIT       +5 Strength; +10 Wisdom

Ex. Hobbit Str+5, Wis+10

Step 2: Select a Sex
Specify Male or Female for your character.

Ex. Male 

Step 3: Select a Class
The following points are automatically added to your character's attributes :

Class             Attribute Bonus
FIGHTER       +10 Strength; +10 Agility
CLERIC         +10 Wisdom
WIZARD        +10 Intelligence
THIEF            +10 Agility

Ex. Fighter Str+10, Dex+10

Step 4: Select a Character Name
Name your character (the game allowed a maximum of 14 letters).

Ex. Ætandur

Step 5: Allocate points to Attributes

Divide 30pt amongst the six primary abilities along with Race and Class bonuses.

1. Strength (+15)
2. Intelligence (10)
3. Wisdom (+10)
4. Dexterity (+10)
5. Constitution (10)
6. Charisma (10)

That way there are no Penalties.

Ex. Str 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Cha 10

 

Step 6: Slap that guy on your Character sheet

We can use the Halfling saving throws and hit dice for the Hobbit. The game didn't use Alignment so put Neutral. That way your moral choices can be grey. Roll up starting gold, buy equipment.

Ætandur: Hobbit Fighter; Str 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Cha 10

Strength bonus only contributes to extra damage. Dexterity on the other hand contributes to hit rolls and armour class. So Ætandur gets +1 damage when he hits opponents.

The Ultima point buy system produces characters with below average D&D stats (other than the Hobbit Fighter). I could lower Int, Con, and Cha by -1 each and add +3 to Strength pushing combat damage up with a +3 damage bonus.