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Vital Statistics

Base › Basic

Player's Handbook v.3.5 (PH), p. 109

Age

You can choose or randomly generate your character’s age. If you choose it, it must be at least the minimum age for the character’s race and class (see Table: Random Starting Ages). Your character’s minimum starting age is the adulthood age of his or her race plus the number of dice indicated in the entry corresponding to the character’s race and class on Table: Random Starting Ages.

Alternatively, refer to Table: Random Starting Ages and roll dice to determine how old your character is.

With age, a character’s physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase (see Table: Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character’s ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.

When a character reaches venerable age, secretly roll his or her maximum age, which is the number from the Venerable column on Table: Aging Effects plus the result of the dice roll indicated on the Maximum Age column on that table, and records the result, which the player does not know. A character who reaches his or her maximum age dies of old age at some time during the following year.

The maximum ages are for player characters. Most people in the world at large die from pestilence, accidents, infections, or violence before getting to venerable age.

Table: Random Starting Ages
RaceAdulthoodBarbarian
Rogue
Sorcerer
Bard
Fighter
Paladin
Ranger
Cleric
Druid
Monk
Wizard
Human15 years+1d4+1d6+2d6
Dwarf40 years+3d6+5d6+7d6
Elf110 years+4d6+6d6+10d6
Gnome40 years+4d6+6d6+9d6
Half-elf20 years+1d6+2d6+3d6
Half-orc14 years+1d4+1d6+2d6
Halfling20 years+2d4+3d6+4d6
Table: Aging Effects
RaceMiddle Age1Old2Venerable3Maximum Age
Human35 years53 years70 years+2d20 years
Dwarf125 years188 years250 years+2d% years
Elf175 years263 years350 years+4d% years
Gnome100 years150 years200 years+3d% years
Half-elf62 years93 years125 years+3d20 years
Half-orc30 years45 years60 years+2d10 years
Halfling50 years75 years100 years+5d20 years
  1. At middle age, -1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
  2. At old age, -2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
  3. At venerable age, -3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Height And Weight

The dice roll given in the Height Modifier column determines the character’s extra height beyond the base height. That same number multiplied by the dice roll or quantity given in the Weight Modifier column determines the character’s extra weight beyond the base weight.

Table: Random Height and Weight
RaceBase HeightHeight ModifierBase WeightWeight Modifier
Human, male4′ 10″+2d10120 lb.x(2d4) lb.
Human, female4′ 5″+2d1085 lb.x(2d4) lb.
Dwarf, male3′ 9″+2d4130 lb.x(2d6) lb.
Dwarf, female3′ 7″+2d4100 lb.x(2d6) lb.
Elf, male4′ 5″+2d685 lb.x(1d6) lb.
Elf, female4′ 5″+2d680 lb.x(1d6) lb.
Gnome, male3′ 0″+2d440 lb.×1 lb.
Gnome, female2′ 10″+2d435 lb.×1 lb.
Half-elf, male4′ 7″+2d8100 lb.x(2d4) lb.
Half-elf, female4′ 5″+2d880 lb.x(2d4) lb.
Half-orc, male4′ 10″+2d12150 lb.x(2d6) lb.
Half-orc, female4′ 5″+2d12110 lb.x(2d6) lb.
Halfling, male2′ 8″+2d430 lb.×1 lb.
Halfling, female2′ 6″+2d425 lb.×1 lb.