Posted on April 7, 2010.
OK Role Playing Gamers - I'm looking for a generator of random characters!? I am looking for a generator of random characters in a game like Marvel RPG was released in the early '80 's. You create a character dice: a mutant, alien robot etc., and proceed to assign the strength and different powers. I just want to be able to run batches of characters from superheroes. The personality traits and physical descriptions (hair / eye color) would be useful too. Can I set up a system myself? Pencil and paper is fine, an online resource that is fine, programming is a bit beyond me, but I'm open to suggestions. Elf needs food badly! ;)
I'll start with two systems I love and admire, and then the other list I am aware.
For robot types, you can use the rules of Shadowrun and generate a type of cyborg. You can also use things like Cyberware and Bioware (metal skin, the blades hand Wolverine, super-vision, etc.) to replicate the power. The system is based D6 Die pool and the 4th edition rules work well. You can generate both PCs and NPCs, and they have a simpler system for mobs / extras.
For a less crunchy and more cinematic system, Spycraft work well. D20-founded, and the reference book contains many pre-made NPCs like androids, zombies, etc. It has a simple system for creating monsters / extras in an even more simple to create brain. It works well for the wicked, but perhaps less for the main PC that take the bad (PC James Bond types are generally no such thing as super powers).
Both systems have a simple character generator tools online, if they are not as full as Heroforge (which uses the rules of D & D and can not be what you want).
There are other super hero games there as mutants and masterminds (D20-base with power levels to control the power level) and champions (pretty open, and I have a friend who loves really). I do not know about the character generators, however, but a search on the web is bound to turn some attention.
There is a game City of Heroes long promised but has never been published ... if released it could work, but my money is on the mutants and the brain based on what I heard.
it is not completely random, but heroforge blade and red work very well ... and both programs are free.