M E T A L vs S K I N: Random Class Generator or "What are the NPCs over the next hill like?"

As +Christopher Helton said, this Random Class Generator is nifty. Go check it out!

While cool, it's utility when used as directed is low for the majority of DMs. OK, occasionally you're going to let a player play his flying Dwarf with Thief abilities that uses magic like a M-U at a 60% level penalty, because flying monkey, right? Or maybe you run a special session where you let everybody use one of these. Still, you use it once and everyone's got a character and done til someone dies. And that's fine, but after looking at the results a few times I think there's a way this generator is useful to the DM pretty frequently. That starts at the *

The first class it generated for me is one of the most immediately useable and straightforward things I think I've seen from a generator. This is the spear-carrying hunter who can sneak up on prey. It also makes a lot of sense for a Harpooneer or Landsknecht that decides to go adventuring. In more practical terms, a long-range backstabber (if there's some player skill and party coordination going on.)

I think I'd say they get a -2 to hit with non-polearms instead of not being able to use them at all, but the rest can play as it lays.

Requirements: none
Prime Requisite: STR
Hit Points

Level Hit Points

1 1d8

2 2d8

3 3d8

4 4d8

5 5d8

6 6d8

7 7d8

8 8d8

9 9d8

10 9d8

11 9d8

12 9d8

Armour Members of this class may not wear any armour.

Weapons Members of this class may only use pole weapons (polearm, lance, javelin, spear).

Attacking Members of this class roll to attack as a magic-user.
Magic Items Members of this class have no restrictions on the use of magic items.
Note that, for magic armour, weapons and shields, characters can only use a magic item if they could use the normal version of that item.
Thief Skills Members of this class have the thief skills, including the bonus when attacking unnoticed from behind, of a thief of their level.
Saves Members of this class save as a fighter of their level.

Advancement

Level XP required

1 0

2 1760

3 3520

4 7040

5 14080

6 28160

7 56320

8 110000

9 220000

10 255000

11 340000

12 425000

from here

Or this guy:

* However, here's where the juice comes in for the DM. You can use this to extrapolate the weird cultural practices of the NPCs or even Monsters encountered in the next room/hex/tribe/whatever. This would probably work well in combination with Zak S's Gods as Places to fully flesh out a hex. (EDIT: If you're going soup-to-nuts and want more monster/NPC stats like attacks and AC, try this from Abulafia or this from donjon to add to the below. Works well to flesh out Villain Warbands.)

Let's say you're using Carcosa (either the book or generator) to do the heavy lifting for hexcrawling in your game, but you're not running a Carcosa game.
"Hmmm...Village of 220 Ulfire Men...so in my game, those are..."

Requirements: STR 9
Prime Requisites: STR, CON

OK, so these folks really value being tough and feats of strength. They probably go shirtless and either live physically demanding lives and/or have strength training and scheduled contests.

Hit Points

Level Hit Points

1 1d4

Hmm, but they're easy to kill. Maybe they're small? Like, little strong pygmy dudes? I'd use this as the number of HD of NPCs, not the number of HP. Strong but low HD. 1-4 d8s.

ArmourMembers of this class may wear any armour and carry a shield.
WeaponsMembers of this class may only use pole weapons (polearm, lance, javelin, spear).

Shit, little strong pygmy dudes with polearms. As the next entry tell us, they attack better than magic users, but maybe not as good as fighters.

Attacking Members of this class roll to attack as a cleric or thief.
Magic Items Members of this class have no restrictions on the use of magic items.
Note that, for magic armour, weapons and shields, characters can only use a magic item if they could use the normal version of that item.
Magic-User Spells Members of this class can cast magic-user spells as a magic-user of 60% of their level - that is:

So there's a 60% chance a party of these guys has a shaman or other magic user, and/or a 60% chance each one has some spell or tribal charm that has an effect.

Thief SkillsMembers of this class can move silently as a thief of their level.
SavesMembers of this class save as a thief of their level.
Special AbilitiesAt level 7, members of this class gain the special abilities of a dwarf (60 foot infravision, detect traps, false walls etc).

"So these folks prefer polearms, value Strength, but aren't hard to kill. They're sneaky and magic use is widespread - 60% of the population. Eventually they get Dwarf abilities...maybe through some practice where meditation on the Erf pays off. OK, so I've got a pygmy tribe (or Goblin culture, etc) that uses magic and moves quietly and practices some kinda warrior mysticism and for some reason they revere the polearm - probably cause they value Strength but are easy to kill. OK, Ulfire Men are that now." Werido demihuman tribe infesting the ancient temple? DONE.