Character:Willard Cleric of Vecna

Step 1: Roll Ability Scores, since only Method 1 is "official", and the rest are "alternative" methods, I'll be using that, instead of method V that everybody seemed to use (including me) when they were playing AD&D.

7 Strength, 9 Dexterity, 15 Constitution, 11 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, 11 Charisma (I can't help but notice the similarity of these rolls to my basic D&D character, including #3 being the highest).

Step 2: Chose a Race, about the best thing I can do with these scores is play a Halfling. I'd want to go for Stout, as that makes the most sense with 15 Con (a Dwarf with 7 Strength would be strange, although I suppose there's no mechanical advantage to playing a Halfling), but the rules as written say I have to roll a d% to see if I have Stoutish blood. I roll an 18, needing 15. The way it's worded suggests I need to do a second roll to see if I'm half Stout - 24, just under the 25 needed. For interests sake, I'll go with Stout/Hairfoot, as there's no difference between Hairfoots and Tallfellows. So I am a Halfing (Stout/Hairfoot), along with all the advantages. My starting age is 29. My starting height is 47" (maybe I should go Tallfellow for consistency, although playing a Tall Hairfoot/Stout is also a bit interesting), at 61lbs, I'm not particularly fat either.

Step 3: I'm quite limited here, having a Strength of 6 prevents me from being a Fighter, so multiclassing is out. I could go for being a Thief, but my 10 Dexterity is less than my 11 Wisdom, and a Halfling Cleric is a bit non-stereotypical so it actually makes an interesting character (not to mention, Clerics are the most powerfull character class in AD&D). To make things more interesting, I'm not a very good Cleric, and am actually subject to a 10% chance of spell failure every time I cast a spell.

Step 4: Alignment - Lawful Evil seems like an interesting alignment to roleplay, and a halfling with a penchant for manipulating undead is straying a bit away from being a stereotypical character.

Step 5: Record Saving Throws and THAC0, since everyone starts with THAC0 20, this is a bit silly, but Saving Throws are Different. To make this even better, I get a +4 bonus to saves versus poison and magic because I'm a Halfling. Paralyzation, Poison or Death Magic is 10, Rod, Staff or Wand is 14, Petrification or Polymorph is 13, Breath Weapon is 16, and Spell is 15. I can't automatically wrap the bonuses into those scores as sometimes Saves against magical categories are used for mundane, non-posonous things. Since I'm an Evil Priest, I'll record my ability to control undead (and enjoy the fact that by Level 8 I'll be able to have an army of completely subservient Ghouls, and have a 1 in 20 chance of controlling a Lich - the other 19 in 20 chances it blasts me) Skeleton 10, Zombie 13, Ghoul 16, Shadow 19, Wight 20. Obviously as it is now, I'm better off not toying with anything other than Skeletons for a while.

Step 6: Roll Hit Points: 1d8 for a Priest, +1 for 15 Constitution, I roll a 6 so I have 7 starting hp. Pretty decent, about between an average 1HD and 2HD creature. Using my army of Skeleton minions I'll no doubt soon develop, that will even serve me quite nicely.

Step 7: Record Base Movement. I'm a halfling, so I have movement 6. Sadly, I still can't remember 6 whats.

Step 8: Select proficiencies, with my intelligence 10 I get 2 bonus proficiencies. As a Priest I start with 4 slots, so I have a total of 6 non-weapon proficiency slots and 2 weapon proficiency slots. For weapon proficiency I am going to take Footman's Flail (the best weapon for Priests), and Sling (why waste the Halfling's +1 bonus?). Reading/Writing is useful, as is Spellcraft (have to know your enemies), Brewing isn't particularly useful, unless you want a drinking competition in the wilderness, and with a 15 con, I've got reasonably good chances, Cooking is actually somewhat useful, along with Fire-building and Fishing. I only know, common and halfling, although according to the rules strictly, I shouldn't even know any of them with the number of slots I have spent, then again I don't think anyone followed the rules of languages strictly.

Step 9: Buy equipment, as a priest I start with 3d6x10GP, getting me 140GP, Splint mail for 80GP is always the best purchase if you have the money, footman's flail is 15GP, a sling is 0.05GP, sling stones are free, and sling bullets are 0.01GP each - I'll buy whatever number is necessary to round things out. A belt is 0.3GP, Breeches 2GP, a hat 0.1GP, a cloak 0.8GP, a pin 6GP, an unholy symbol 25GP, a tunic 0.8GP, a vest 0.6GP, a backpack 2GP, a small belt pouch 0.05GP, flint and steel 0.5GP, a fishing net 4GP, an iron pot 0.5GP, a wineskin 0.8GP, 6 loaves of bread 0.3GP, and a whopping 1GP and 2SP left over. Maybe I'll just stick to sling stones. On checking encumbrance rules, the Splint Mail weighs 40lbs, putting me at severe encumbrance moving everywhere at a rate of 1. Padded armour for 10lbs leaves me with an actual chance of moving at even a halfling's disappointing rate of 6. At 4GP, I drop the cloak (0.8GP, pin 6GP, vest 0.6GP) and buy a silk jacket for 80GP, since I don't want to recalculate much. That leaves me with 4GP and 6SP.

There's no mention of chosing a name, but I guess that's obvious.

Willard, Male Halfling (Stout/Hairfoot) Cleric of Vecna, Level 1

Strength: 6 hit adjustment -1, damage adjustment 0, weight allowance 20lbs, max press 55lbs, open doors 4/20, bend bars/lift gates 0%

Dexterity: 10 reaction adjustment 0, missile attack adjustment 0, defensive adjustment 0

Constitution: 15 hit point adjustment +1, system shock 90%, resurrection survival 94%, poison save bonus 0, nil regeneration

Intelligence: 10 2 languages, max 5th level spells, 40% chance to learn spells, max 7 spells per level, no illusion immunity

Wisdom: 11 0 magical defense adjustment, 0 bonus spells, 10% chance of spell failure, no spell immunity

Charisma: 10 4 henchmen, 0 loyalty base, 0 reaction adjustment

hit points: 7 Armour Class: 8 Alignment: Lawful Evil

Weapon # of Attacks THAC0 Small/Medium Large/+ Speed Type

Footman's Flail 1/round 21 1d6+1 2d4 7 Bludgeoning

Sling (Stones) 1/round 19 1d4 1d4 6 Bludgeoning

Weapon Proficiencies: footman's flail, sling

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Reading/Writing (11), Spellcraft (8), Fishing (10), Fire Building (10), Cooking (10), Brewing (10)

Equipment: padded armour, footman's flail, sling, 50 stones, belt, breeches, hat, unholy symbol, tunic, backpack, silk jacket, small beltpouch, flint and steel, fishing net, iron pot, wine skin, 6 loaves of bread

Saving Throws: Poison, Paralyzation, Death Magic 10, Rod, Staff, Wand 14, Pertification, Polymorph 13, Breath Weapon 16, Spell 15

Abilities: Turn Undead, Skeletons 10, Zombies 13, Ghouls 16, Shadows 19, Wights 20 +4 saving throw bonus vs poison and magic, +1 attack with thrown weapons and slings, surprise bonus if alone, in the company of halflings or elves, -4, -2 if a door must be opened, infravision 30', 3/4 chance to detect grade, 3/6 chance to determine direction

Preferred Spells: invisibility to undead, magical stone, sanctuary,