Creating a Character in Pendragon

The stories of King Arthur have always lived close to the surface. You see them in medieval romances, dusty libraries, and childhood cartoons. They're stitched into everything from The Sword in the Stone to The Green Knight to The Mists of Avalon. Across time, Arthur’s dream flickers: a world made better by those who try.

Pendragon doesn’t place you beside Arthur. It hands you a sword and points toward the dream. The table may not be round yet. That part is up to you. Whether you dream of noble deeds or courtly drama, it all begins with character creation. Here is how to build your first Player-knight.

Step 1: Lineage

You play a noble character by default. Most knights are born to a known family, with land, ties to a local lord, and a sense of their place in the world. The Core Rulebook assumes a starting culture of Cymric Logres, but your specific region can change the tone and details.

Your family’s history influences your starting statistics. The amount of Glory your parents earned sets the foundation for your social standing. Some families bring honor. Others bring expectations.

And yes, women-at-arms are welcome. Pendragon 6th Edition embraces the full breadth of Arthurian legend, where heroines like Britomart and Dindrane stand proudly beside Lancelot and Gawain. Women can be knights, lords, adventurers, and paragons of chivalry. Gender has no mechanical effect on your character. You will be judged solely by your honor.

Step 2: Assign Characteristics

Pendragon uses five physical and social attributes. You’ll rely on these numbers during combat and courtly life.

• Size

• Dexterity

• Strength

• Constitution

• Appearance

These can be rolled randomly or chosen based on your character concept. These values define your combat ability, appearance, and health-related statistics such as Hit Points and Damage.

A smaller knight might be quicker on their feet. A larger one might absorb heavier blows. Appearance doesn't just mean beauty. It also reflects presence, like how a knight fills a room.

Step 3: Define Traits and Passions

Rather than alignment systems or morality sliders, Pendragon gives each character a set of opposed Traits. There are 13 pairs in total. For example:

• Energetic / Lazy

• Honest / Deceitful

• Modest / Proud

Each trait pair adds up to 20. The balance between them shows where your character leans. These define your knight’s personality and grant advancement opportunities when tested. You’ll roll against Traits during moments of emotional pressure. Success or failure can tip how a knight behaves or how others perceive them.

You also select Passions such as Loyalty (Lord), Love (Family), and Honor. These are intense emotions that can inspire greatness or lead to madness. A knight who fails a Passion roll may falter or even suffer a mental breakdown. These moments give the story its emotional weight.

Step 4: Choose Your Knightly Skills

Your background (culture and profession) provides initial values for knightly Skills, and you will customize some during creation. You’ll have training in swordplay, etiquette, horsemanship, heraldry, first aid, and more.

The system uses a simple d20 roll. If you roll equal to or under your skill value, you succeed. If you roll your exact number, it’s a critical success.

You can tailor your knight’s focus. Maybe they’re a war-seasoned brawler with high Sword and Lance skills. Or maybe they’re more subtly skilled in Courtesy, Intrigue, and Composition. Pendragon 6e's mechanics support both approaches.

Step 5: Equip Yourself with Gear and Mounts

Every knight begins with basic equipment, suited for the early years of Arthur’s Britain:

• Chainmail hauberk and helmet

• Sword, lance, dagger

• Shield

• Charger (warhorse)

Additional horses or gear may depend on your family’s wealth or the year you begin play. The rulebook provides tables to determine what you can reasonably start with. Some characters also have squire assistants or retainers, depending on their background.

Step 6: Inherit Glory

You begin with a portion of your family’s Glory, or reputation, inherited from your parents’ achievements. Over time, your knight builds their own name. Deeds in battle, noble choices, and great risks add to your total.

Glory influences your rank, how you’re treated, and how your character will be remembered.

Step 7: Define Heraldry and Personality

Select your coat of arms, name, and knightly demeanor. You might be proud or humble, bold or pious, ambitious or modest. These details color your role-play and reinforce your Traits. The Core Rulebook's Coat of Arms Generator is a great resource for visual storytelling.

A knight who hums old war songs may have served in a bitter campaign. One who refuses wine at feasts might be upholding a family vow. The Core Rulebook includes ideas for naming conventions and symbolic heraldry.

Final Thoughts on Creating a Player-Knight

Creating a knight in Pendragon is about crafting a legacy. Your character may fall in battle or fade in age, but their name will echo in song, memory, and Glory.

Ready to become a legend? Start building your Pendragon character today in Quest Portal using our no-code Character Sheets. Not sure where to start? Try the Pendragon Starter Set or Core Rulebook for pre-generated characters ready for adventure.

This world has room for martyrs and poets, hunters and rebels, knights who rise, and knights who fall. The story doesn’t begin with Arthur. It starts with you.

Next Steps

• Get the Pendragon Starter Set on Quest Portal Marketplace

• Join our Discord to talk Pendragon in #chaosium

• Make your player-knight in our no-code editor