COMPLEAT MEAT

10 OPTIONS FOR CREATING 0-LEVEL PCs

Introduction
Role playing games have a proud history of
“hopeless characters,” dating back to the early
days of Dungeons & Dragons. While most role
players prefer acting the part of heroic
characters, some relate better to average lunks,
who, if suddenly thrust into a dangerous battle,
would almost assuredly die a horrible death.

Compleat Meat outlines 10 different options for

creating 0-level characters, inspired by the Why “Compleat,” not “Complete?”
merciless character-creation processes of yore, “Compleat” is a nod to The Compleat
challenging the notion that fantasy heroes must Adventurer, Compleat Spell Caster and
be proficient in anything but pushing a broom. Compleat Alchemist, a set of 1983 role-playing
game supplements published by Bard Games
Prepare for the thrill of being average or worse and tailored for use with Advanced Dungeons &
in every way, where the odds of survival are Dragons. Adventurer featured rules for playing
sharply stacked against you. the Beastmaster, Buccaneer, Bounty Hunter,
Gladiator, Harlequin, Knight, Martial Artist,
Rogue, Scout, Spy, Swordsman, Warrior, and
Witch Hunter, and was a personal favorite.

“Compleat” is also a tribute to The Compleat

Dungeonhead Strategiest, an amazing tabletop game store
franchise with locations in New York City and
Jason Weitzel: Author / Layouts King of Prussia, Pa. Both are still accepting
online orders in the midst of COVID-19 and
Maribeth Kradel-Weitzel: Art need your support more than ever.

© Copyright Dungeonhead 2020. Jason Weitzel is a creative director living in Jenkintown, Pa., the home of the TV series “The Goldbergs” and two tabletop
game stores. Contact him at [email protected].
Getting Started Races & Classes
First things first: these are variant rules. They can Here’s something you should decide from the very
be followed in a letter-perfect sense. They can be beginning, as it impacts additional choices:
mixed and matched. They can be ignored entirely
and used as inspiration to create your own house • Do you want your players to have selection over
rules for sub-standard characters. These are simply their character’s race, or randomize it?
guidelines; a series of building blocks, ranging from
very simple concepts to a more nuanced approach • Do you want to forgo assigning classes to your
tailored toward players who truly want to apply Level-0 characters entirely, or lay the foundation
some heart into an underdog story. for class selection later?
Chances are, if your players are open to the idea
of rolling up an untrained zero-level character, Since races and classes, as written in the Player’s
they’re the self-deprecating type who doesn’t have Handbook, contain certain proficiency bonuses,
high hopes for guiding their PC to greatness there’s risk of having zero-level characters better
anyway. And the odds are certainly against it suited for the hazards of the world than they ought
happening. to be, and we can’t have that, can we?
But here’s the thing: surviving the perils of zero- In real life, there are elves and tieflings who are,
level only brings a player closer to their characters. quite simply, dullards, who fall into the crevices of
It’s simply more relatable to beat a zombie to dust life, unfit for fame or fortune, better suited to
with a mop handle than it is to vanquish them with become basket weavers than bounty hunters. No
a prismatic ray. offense to basket weavers.
So maybe race shouldn’t matter in the zero-sum,
required: starting at zero-level world of adventuring? So why not
randomize it? (This is optional of course; class
negative experience points considerations come later):

Normally, a first-level adventurer starts with 0

experience points (XP), and as that character adds RANDOM RACE GENERATION
to their resume, their XP tally grows. The Player’s
Handbook says a “first-level character is d10 Race
inexperienced in the adventuring world, although
1 Dwarf
he or she might have been a soldier or a pirate and
done dangerous things before.” Well … plenty of us 2 Elf
regular joes never did a dangerous thing in our
lives. We weren’t soldiers, and we certainly weren’t 3 Halfling
pirates.
Nevertheless, if soldiering and buccaneering are 4 Human
the prerequisites to starting at 0, then a zero-level
character needs to start in the hole. It’s a simple 5 Dragonborn
mandate, or else, the natural order of the world is
thrown into chaos. The dungeon master should 6 Gnome
decide how much of an XP deficit is fair. It’s our
recommendation to start a zero-level character 7 Half-Elf
at -100 XP. Anything more than that would make it
nearly impossible to survive in the wild, and DMs 8 Half-Orc
should be conservative with the types of encounters
to which they pit their players to begin with. Even a 9 Tiefling
shield bash from a standard-issue roaming Kobold
could prove lethal. 10 DM’s Pick

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Rules Option no. 1
• A second option if you’re assigning classes is
to actually make your players roll their normal
Reduce the Hit Die maximum. starting Hit Die instead of defaulting to the
maximum.
Normally, at first level, characters are assigned
1 Hit Die, with the type of die determined by their So, for example, a zero-level barbarian would
class, with a starting hit point total equal to the roll their normal 1d12 but could wind up with 1
highest roll of that die, plus the Constitution plus their Constitution modifier, meaning, the
modifier. This is also known as the hit point odds are high they will be totally smoked by
maximum, and it comes into play when some evil. Or, they could easily end up with a full
determining – among other things – whether a 12, which would be amazing luck for a zero-level
devastating blow against a character results in oaf.
instant death or unconsciousness.
But starting with the Hit Die maximum + • If you’re not assigning starting classes, you
Constitution modifier seems generous for a zero- have options, depending on how nasty you want
level simpleton, and there are several options for to be to your players.
adjusting that.
You could split the difference and give everyone
• If you’re assigning classes, reduce the starting a starting Hit Die of 1d6, so, 6 hit points plus a
Hit Die to one die lower and assign the Constitution bonus. Or, the DM could make a
maximum to the hit point total plus the more subjective judgement call. A tavern
Constitution modifier. This is also the Hit Die bouncer might be heartier than a tax collector,
that should be used to regain hit points after a for example, and deserve a higher Hit Die.
short rest. Then, should a character reach 1st
Level, simply replace this number with the Either way, there’s no way you should be handing a
standard first-level Hit Die and raise the hit point standard level 1 Hit Die maximum over to your
total to the maximum. zero-level halfwit.

STARTING ZERO-LEVEL HIT DIE AND PROFICIENCIES

Class Hit Die Saving Throw Armor and Weapon (consider proficiency of +1 or 0, or forbidding)
Barbarian d10 Str. & Con. Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons

Bard d6 Dex. & Con. Light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords

Cleric d6 Wis. & Cha. Light and medium armor, shields, simple weapons

Light, medium armor, shields (all non-metal), clubs, daggers, darts, javelins,
Druid d6 Int. & Wis.
maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears

Fighter d8 Str. & Con. All armor, shields, simple and martial weapons

Monk d6 Str. & Dex. Simple weapons, shortswords

Paladin d8 Wis. & Cha. All armor, shields, simple and martial weapons

Ranger d8 Str. & Dex. Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons

Rogue d6 Dex. & Int. Light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords

Sorcerer d4 Con. & Cha. Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows

Warlock d6 Wis. & Cha. Light armor, simple weapons

Wizard d4 Int. & Wis. Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows

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Rules Option no. 2 Left: This guy
has a shield, but
perhaps he
Drop all, or some, proficiency shouldn’t,
bonuses to +1 or 0. depending on how
difficult you
In keeping with the fatalistic nature of this want your zero-
supplement, and the inevitability of death, have level lives to be.
your players roll up their characters as they
normally would, but go ahead and drop all, or
some, proficiency bonuses to 1 or 0, depending on How would they have access to an armory in the
how terrifying you want to make things on your first place, let alone, receive adequate training in
players. This mostly applies to class bonuses as martial warfare? A rumpled dress or soiled tunic is
they relate to weapon, saving throw, skill and tool a more appropriate uniform for a doomed
proficiencies, in addition to some background and bumpkin.
race proficiencies. Consider setting all starting ACs to 10 + their
The idea here is that – in real life – not every dexterity modifier, which is the value assigned to
dwarf can be assumed to be capable at wielding a standard clothing, or nothing at all, and won’t
warhammer or handaxe as if it were their inhibit a character’s ability to flee from danger,
birthright. Some dwarves are all thumbs, or, never which is probably their strongest asset anyway.
adjusted to wearing light or medium-weight armor.
Some dwarves would rather volunteer at dwarven
children’s theater than suit up for battle.
Rules Option no. 4
Eliminating the blanket racial proficiency bonuses
honors those choices.
Forbid, or harshly penalize,
Rules Option no. 3 the use of all, or most,
standard weapons from the
Forbid the use of armor and ‘Player’s Handbook.’
shields, or, apply disadvantage In general, any weapon from p. 146 of the Player’s
Handbook that deals 1d4 damage, such as a sickle,
to all armor types. seems more appropriate for a zero-level character
Imagine strapping on a breastplate for the first than, say, a 1d10 pike or even a 1d6 shortsword.
time, then trying to outmaneuver the battle-trained Most real-life halflings wouldn’t understand the art
blow of an 11-foot ogre. In the standard rules, only of swordplay, but perhaps could handle a rake with
PCs with class proficiency in the use of particular great adroitness.
types of armor know how to wear it effectively. There are several ways to handle weapons and
When players don’t, they have disadvantage on any zero-level characters.
ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that
involves Strength or Dexterity, and they can’t cast • Permit only weapons that deal 1d4 damage.
spells.
It all begs the question: should a zero-level • Permit all weapons, within standard restrictions,
commoner wear armor or carry shields at all? How but apply disadvantage to attack rolls, damage
would they have access to an armory in the first rolls, or both.
place, let alone, receive adequate training in
martial warfare? A rumpled dress or soiled tunic is • Allow only weapons related to the character’s
a more appropriate uniform for a doomed standard or zero-level background (more on that
bumpkin. later).

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Rules Option no. 5
But in the zero-level world, this may be considered
too powerful and can be adjusted, as necessary. We
Consider adjusting critical think it’s exciting and should stay. On the other
hand, it’s far more on-brand for a zero-level
hits and implementing character to totally blow it.
critical misses. Normally, if the d20 roll for an attack is 1, the
attack misses regardless of any modifiers or the
We’d recommend keeping critical hits in place, if target's AC. But something epically bad should
only because a blind squirrel finds an acorn every happen in this circumstance, and you should also
once in a while, and rolling a natural 20 may be a decide whether it should happen on a roll of 1, or 2.
zero-level PC’s best shot at survival. Here’s a table (bottom left) we recommend using to
Normally, when scoring a critical hit, the player punish your PCs for such failure. Either way, don’t
should roll all the attack's damage dice twice and hand over a standard first-level Hit Die maximum
add the results together, then add any relevant over to a zero-level halfwit.
modifiers (these could vary depending on which
optional zero-level rules you adopt for your Rules Option no. 6
players).

CRITICAL MISS (ATTACK ROLL = 1 or 2) For magic-users, allow

nothing higher than a
d20 Critical Miss Result
1 Weapon destroyed
cantrip, and scale back the
2 Weapon damaged, ½ normal damage
number of cantrips known.
3 Weapon dropped A cantrip is a zero-level spell that can be cast at
4 Weapon slips and sails 20 feet away
will, without using a spell slot and without being
prepared in advance. Bards, clerics, druids,
5 Weapon slips and hits nearest ally for full damage sorcerers, warlocks and wizards have access to a
6 Weapon injures self for ½ normal damage certain number of cantrips at first level. Normally,
these are relatively innocuous tools of adventuring,
7 Weapon injures self for full damage
but in this case, they’re arguably the most powerful
8 Weapon slips and is lost, DC 15 perception to find tool in the PC’s arsenal.
9 Attacker trips, falls prone If the DM elects to keep class selection in place,
we recommend reducing the starting number
10 Attacker trips, falls prone, takes 1d4 damage
known cantrips by half, rounded down. So for
11 Attacker trips, falls prone, is stunned example, a first-level wizard can choose three
12 Attacker injures ankle, speed is halved cantrips from the wizard spell list. That’s reduced
to one for a zero-level wizard. Here’s a table:
13 Attacker injures hand, disadvantage to attacks
14 Attacker is frightened through rest of combat Class Number of Cantrips Known
15 Attacker is exhausted through the rest of combat Bard 1
16 Target of attacks takes weapon Cleric 1
17 Target of attack takes weapon, destroys it Druid 1
18 No effect Sorcerer 2
19 No effect Warlock 1
20 No effect Wizard 1

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Rules Option no. 7
proficiencies manifest in the two skill proficiencies
that come from a character’s background. In
Consider reducing the addition, most backgrounds also assign character
proficiency with one or more tools.
number of languages to just The only missing piece – really – is some sort of
the native tongue. go-to weapon, and, in the spirit of this section of the
Handbook, it should make some thematic sense
Maybe they were absent from school the day they with the character. Canned backgrounds include
taught Common. In the zero-level world, it the acolyte, charlatan, criminal, entertainer, guild
shouldn’t be assumed that a draconic character of artisan, hermit, noble, outlander, sage, sailor,
substandard pedigree is capable of conversing with soldier and urchin. In this rule variant, pick one,
a substandard halfling. Bilingualism is a special and make it the starting class.
thing, and there’s nothing much special about a Consider tools that could make good thematic
zero-level lunkhead. Consider subtracting Common sense but could be effective in combat. Picture a
from the equation and forcing your PCs into sailor casting a fishing net over a pack of goblin
communicating some other way. thugs, or an acolyte who can wield a candlelighter
and bell snuffer like a polearm. Then, consider a
Rules Option no. 8 reasonable amount of damage that could be dealt
by it, or conditions leveed, from these crude
weapons. This is a more open-ended, narrative-
They start with no money. driven approach. More explicit rules for
backgrounds start now.
Makes total sense. Why else would a farmer, for
example, suddenly trade in a hayfield for traversing Rules Option no. 10
a tomb of death? Zero-level characters should
literally show up with only the clothes on their
back. Typically, starting gold is determined by a Roll randomly to assign a
chosen background – usually 15 GP – but let’s just
assume it was lost or stolen or gambled away. job, or just make one up.
Rules Option no. 9 Those familiar with the Dungeon Crawl Classics
Role Playing Game undoubtedly know and enjoy
their zero-level funnel system.
Their background The following variant draws inspiration from
that system. Instead of picking a standard class, or
is their class. using a background as a class, players can
randomly roll on the d100 table on the next page,
One of the best parts of Dungeon & Dragons’ 5th which includes both pre-destined class-related
edition comes to life in the personality and occupations and class-agnostic results, all with
background system, and it’s even more vital when their own weapon and damage numbers, and other
fleshing out a non-hero. While the mortality rate is “flair.” The idea is that ”affiliated” jobs would
certainly high for zero-level peasants, we strongly ascend to their related class at first level, and all
suggest having your players spend some time others have choice.
walking through personality traits, inspiration and
background guidance offered in the Player’s
Handbook and thinking about what makes your
zero-level meatshield tick.
Earlier, we suggested reducing the starting
proficiency bonus from +2 down to +1 or +0 for
zero-level characters, and some of those

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 RANDOM 0-LEVEL JOBS TABLE

Class Affiliation d100 Job Proficiency Weapon Damage Other

1 Nomad +0 Dull iron knife 1d4 No rage, no other tools
2 Wanderer +0 Walking stick 1d4 No rage, no other tools
BARBARIAN 3 Scourge +1 Whip (reach) 1d4 May rage 1/day, rage damage +1
4 Savage +1 Unarmed (Bite) 1d4 May rage 1/day, rage damage +1
5 Brute +1 Wooden cudgel 1d6 May rage 1/day, rage damage +1
6 Flutist +0 Heavy flute 1d4 One other musical instrument
7 Jester +0 Juggling pins (4) 1d4 Pins are melee or ranged 20/60

BARD 8 Busker +0 Heavy tome of poetry 1d4 One bardic cantrip known
9 Troubadour +1 Ornamental dagger 1d4 Two musical instruments
10 Minstrel +1 Lesser rapier 1d6 One bardic cantrip known
11 Man of god +0 Heavy goblet 1d4 Does not initiate attacks
12 Sexton +0 Candlelighter (reach) 1d4 No cantrips known
CLERIC 13 Rector +0 Brass chalice 1d4 One cleric cantrip known
14 Clergyman +1 Clergy staff (reach) 1d4 One cleric cantrip known
15 Curate +1 Mace 1d6 One cleric cantrip known
16 Aspirant +0 Sling w/ 25 stones 1d4 No cantrips known
DRUID 17 Ovate +0 Darts 1d4 One druid cantrip known
18 Soothsayer +1 Wooden javelin (reach) 1d4 One druid cantrip known
19 Trainee +0 Wood training sword 1d4 Also carries 1d4-1 training knife
20 Sparrer +0 Light hammer 1d4 Also carries cushioned +1 AC shield
FIGHTER 21 Guardsman +0 Scimitar 1d6 Also carries 1d4 weak sling (20/90)
22 Infantryman +1 Spear 1d6 Also carries standard +2 AC shield
23 Man at arms +1 Shortsword 1d6 Also carries 1d4 dagger
24 Novice +0 Unarmed strike 1d4-1 Do not add WIS to unarmored AC

MONK 25 Initiate +0 Unarmed strike 1d4 Do not add WIS to unarmored AC

26 Sister / Brother +1 Unarmed strike 1d4 Do not add WIS to unarmored AC
27 Paladin’s Valet +0 Leather belt (reach) 1d4 Also carries wax, combs, brushes
PALADIN 28 Keeper +1 Oak warhammer 1d4 Carries a variety of oils and greases
29 Gallant +1 10-ft pole (reach) 1d6 Optionally, 10-ft. pole may bear flag
30 Runner +0 Dagger 1d4 Carries 1d10 darts

RANGER 31 Guide +0 Walking stick 1d4 +2 to perception / survival / nature

32 Tracker +1 Shortsword 1d6 +2 to perception / survival / nature
33 Footpad +1 Unarmed blow 1d4-1 Thieves tools
ROGUE 34 Robber +1 Brass knuckles 1d4 Thieves tools, blowgun (20/80)
35 Filcher +1 Cheap rapier 1d4 Thieves tools, blowgun (20/80)

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 RANDOM 0-LEVEL JOBS TABLE

Class Affiliation d100 Job Proficiency Weapon Damage Other

36 Sorcerer’s minion +0 Sling 1d4 No cantrips known, 1 acid vial

SORCERER 37 Evoker +1 Dagger 1d4 One cantrip known, 1 alchemist fire

38 Conjurer +1 Quarterstaff 1d6-1 Two cantrips known
39 Fortune teller +0 Heavy crystal ball 1d4 One cantrip known

WARLOCK 40 Phantasmist +1 Light handaxe 1d4 One cantrip known

41 Enchanter +1 Shortbow 1d6 One cantrip known, club
42 Apprentice’s apprentice +0 Unarmed slap 1 No cantrips known
43 Magician’s apprentice +0 Unarmed hard slap 1d4-1 One cantrip known, sling
WIZARD 44 Visionist +0 Antique dagger 1d4 One cantrip known, sling
45 Spellknower +1 Pine quarterstaff 1d4 One cantrip known, sling
46 Prestidigitator +1 Lesser light crossbow 1d6 60/240 range, one cantrip, dagger
47 Oilist +0 5 Oil flasks (20/60) 1d4 Sack o’ flasks deal 1d10/20 ft radius
48 Armorer +1 Armorer’s hammer 1d6 Wears +1 AC leather apron
49 Healer +1 Dull shortsword 1d4 Small healer’s kit (5 uses)
50 Dungeoneer +1 Dungeon pick 1d6 Backpack, crowbar, 10 torches
51 Diplomat +1 Diplomat staff 1d4 Lamp, fine clothes, ink, pen, wax
52 Perfumist +0 Dagger 1d4 Vials of strong perfume, soap
53 Scholar +0 Book of lore 1d4-1 Journal, ink, pen, parchment, string
54 Candlemaker +0 Heavy candlestick 1d4-1 Wax, 20 candles, string, 3 oil vials
55 Herder +0 Herding staff (reach) 1d4 Accompanied by 1d4-1 HP duck
56 Falconer +0 Heavy leather gauntlet 1d4-1 Accompanied by 1d4-1 HP falcon
NO 57 Glassblower +1 Glassblower’s hammer 1d4 Shards of sharp glass 1d4-3 (20/60)
AFFILIATION 58 Farmer +1 Pitchfork (reach) 1d6-1 +1 nature checks
59 Cobbler +1 Cobbler’s hammer 1d6 Satchel of shoes
60 Tax collector +0 Unarmed strike 1 75 gp
61 Maker of nets +0 Net Restrained Net maker’s knife (1d4-2)
62 Bilingualist +0 Unarmed strike 1 Knows two languages
63 Astrologer +0 Staff (reach) 1d4 Spyglass
64 Fishmonger +0 Harpoon (reach) 1d4 Fishing tackle
65 Chain maker +1 Chain (reach) 1d4 Small blacksmith hammer (1d4-1)
66 Blacksmith +1 Blacksmith hammer 1d4 Tongs, scissors, heavy apron
67 Mariner +1 Trident 1d6 Waterproof boots, rope
68 Mapmaker +0 Club 1d4 Map case, rope, pen, ink
69 Bookbinder +0 Bookbinder’s knife 1d4-1 Thread, glue, needle, scissors
70 Carpenter +0 Hammer 1d4 Saw (1d4-2), nails

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 RANDOM 0-LEVEL JOBS TABLE

Class Affiliation d100 Job Proficiency Weapon Damage Other

71 Beggar +0 Sling 1d4 Nothing
72 Butcher +1 Cleaver 1d4 15 pounds of salted meat
73 Baker +0 Rolling pin 1d4 Flour, sugar, bread
74 Barber +0 Scissor 1d4 Talcum powder, razor (1d4-1)
75 Trapper +1 Blowgun 1d4 Skinning knife (1d4-1), rodent trap
76 Toxicologist +0 Shortsword 1d6 Antitoxin
77 Climber +1 Pick axe 1d6 Climber’s kit
78 Cooper +0 Crowbar 1d4 Rivets, quarter hoop, cooper saw
79 Tent maker +0 Hammer 1d4 Tent, bracings, pegs, rope
80 Herbalist +0 Shears 1d4 Herbalism kit
81 Hunter +1 Shortbow 1d6 Skinning knife (1d4-1)
82 Artist +0 Dagger 1d4-1 Brushes, paint, ink, charcoal, paper
83 Woodcutter +1 Handaxe 1d6 Torches, tinderbox, rope
84 Neophyte alchemist +0 Light staff (reach) 1d4 Alchemist’s fire, acid vial
NO
AFFILIATION 85 Merchant +0 Dagger 1d4 95 GP
86 Locksmith +1 Dagger 1d4 Locksmith’s tools (thieve’s tools)
87 Stonemason +1 Pickaxe 1d6 Hammer, t-square, stone block
88 Weaver +0 Scissors 1d4 Loom tools (needle, thread, knife)
89 Viticulturist +1 Sickle 1d4 Wineskin
90 Watchman +0 Dagger 1d4 Rope, bugle, bell chime
91 Wheelwright +0 Hatchet 1d4 Hammer, tinderbox
92 Tanner +0 Tanning knife 1d4 Hemp rope, tinderbox, oil
93 Cook +0 Cast-iron pot 1d4 Spoons, knives (1d4-1), fork, spices
94 Bailiff +0 Gavel 1d4 Parchment, manacles, pen, ink, key
95 Rope maker +0 Dagger 1d4 Rope, tinderbox, wax, candles
96 Liege +0 Spear 1d6-1 Map case, 35 gp
97 Tailor +0 Scissors 1d4 Measuring tape, string, needle
98 Brewer +0 Heavy stein 1d4 Yeast, waterskin
99 Gongfarmer +0 Mop 1d4-1 Also, broom (1d4-1)
100 Gardener +1 Rake (reach) 1d4 Garden trowel, hand rake, seeds

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