For 2025, I’m participating in the 2025 Character Creation Challenge. The idea is to create one RPG character per day for each day in January, for a total of 31 characters. You can find new characters as they're created here.
Character 2: XCrawl Classics
My next character is a try at the brand new XCrawl Classics RPG (XCC) from Goodman Games. I’ve been a big fan of DCC since it was first published. I’ve also been a fan of XCC designer Brendan LaSalle since I got to play in a DCC game he was running at GaryCon a number of years ago.
If you’re not familiar with XCC, it’s set in a world where dungeon crawling is a competitive sport, broadcast via magical means to entertain the masses in a version of modern America based on the Roman Empire. Think Smash TV / The Hunger Games meets D&D. Every dungeon is a literal competition designed by a Dungeon Judge (DJ). There are sponsorships, character fame, and pro-wrestling finishing moves.
The whole thing is ridiculous in the best way possible.
Level Zero
Traditionally, a new DCC character begins as a level 0 nobody. Each player runs 4 or so of these low-level characters in a deadly kind of adventure called “a funnel”, with surviving characters advancing to level 1at the end of the funnel. For this exercise, I thought it would be more fun to roll up a level 1 character. If you’re curious, though, I did start Johnny out at level 0. His randomly rolled occupation was “Collegiate, Library Assistant”, which is what inspired me to give him a Harvard gimmick
The Character: “The Ivy League Kid” Johnny Worth
Johnny Worth is perhaps the most famous collegiate wrestler from the Ivy League. Which, admittedly, is a pretty niche group. A good (but not great) wrestler, an adequate student, and a generally likeable but forgettable person, Johnny found himself blending in with the crowd at Harvard. Following his sophomore year, Johnny decided to take a “gap year” and throw his hat in the world of XCrawl.
Where Johnny went largely unnoticed among his college peers, he absolutely stands out in XCrawl. He’s an Ivy League blue-chipper among the showy and violent world of competitive dungeon crawling, and he plays this role up for the fans. So far, he’s done well in the handful of Division III events where he’s competed. However, Johnny’s parents’ patience (and willingness to support him) are starting to wear thin. He’s desperate to earn some real fame, leave Harvard behind, and prove himself a true XCrawler.
 |
| Click to Embiggen |
Notes
One of the steps of character creation is to “Decide which actor will be playing your character in the movie they make of your adventure.” Astute readers may notice that I chose former WWE wrestler (and CTE awareness advocate) Chris Nowinski. Johhny Worth is (ahem) heavily inspired by Chris’ pro wrestling gimmick.
No comments:
Post a Comment