I like the character creation in Unknown Armies . It's pretty dang simple. X points (value of X is dependent on campaign level) to distribute between 4 attributes. A small handful of skills handed out for free* under each attribute. Increase those skills or buy new skills** with Y points in each attribute (where Y=attribute's value). Decide what your character is obsessed with, and associate that with a skill (Adepts must link the obsession to their school of magic, but the way magic works in the setting, it isn't possible to do magic without being obsessed with it in the first place). Pick a Rage, Noble, and Fear trigger. Link the Fear trigger to one of the five stress tracks. Done. * Free skills are at 15, except Initiative which is 1/2 of Speed ** New skills can be literally anything, and free skills can be re-named. Avatar characters and Adept characters must have their Avatar skills/Adept school. "Anything" really does mean anything. "Making Gobs of Money" is a skill on a canon NPC. Unknown Ponies , a MLP-spinoff of UA, is even simpler, although the setting isn't for everyone: Set attributes to 40 (50 if starting play as adult characters) Pick a race (Earth Pony, Unicorn, Pegasus, Kelpie, Zebra) Add 10 to one attribute based on race choice (Optional) reduce one attribute by up to 20 points, to either increase another attribute by the same amount, or increase two other attributes by half that amount. Get 25 in each free skill except Initiative, which is 1/2 of Speed. (Earth Ponies/Zebras only) add 50 skill points to distribute between the free skills or to new skills (Alchemy is available only to Zebras) (Adult characters only) pick an obsession a special talent and link it to a skill.