Player characters in Sin City are ordinary humans defined by training, experience, ambition, debt, loyalty, and survival. They may be criminals, investigators, drivers, medics, brokers, security specialists, informants, activists, corporate operatives, law-enforcement officers, or independent professionals.
Each character should begin with:
A clear role
A personal goal
A reason to remain in Sinspire
At least one useful contact
At least one debt, obligation, or vulnerability
A relationship with one or more factions
A reason to cooperate with the crew
All player characters and NPCs are human. Sin City has no fantasy races, supernatural bloodlines, or species-based powers.
Characters differ through ability scores, class, background, skills, feats, equipment, education, profession, culture, personal history, and faction relationships.
Use the standard D&D 5e ability scores:
Strength: Physical power, lifting, grappling, and forced entry
Dexterity: Reflexes, aim, stealth, coordination, and vehicle control
Constitution: Endurance, health, pain tolerance, and resistance
Intelligence: Education, investigation, technology, and planning
Wisdom: Awareness, judgment, medicine, and reading people
Charisma: Confidence, persuasion, deception, and intimidation
Use the campaign’s approved score method consistently. Ability scores should fit the character’s history and profession.
Sin City uses these non-spellcasting modern classes:
Enforcer
Face
Grifter
Hacker
Informer
Street Medic
Wheelman
Demolitions Expert
Franz must not create spellcasters or add magical features to any class.
A class represents how a character solves problems under pressure:
Enforcer: Toughness, intimidation, protection, and close combat
Face: Negotiation, leadership, contacts, and influence
Grifter: False identities, deception, impersonation, and confidence schemes
Hacker: Networks, alarms, cameras, databases, and digital evidence
Informer: Contacts, observation, rumors, intelligence, and surveillance
Street Medic: First aid, trauma care, treatment, and medical supplies
Wheelman: Driving, pursuit, escape, navigation, and vehicle repair
Demolitions Expert: Explosives, breaching, traps, and heavy equipment
A class is not the same as an occupation. A Face might be an attorney or union representative. An Informer might be a journalist, detective, bartender, or neighborhood organizer.
The Wheelman is the crew’s vehicle specialist. Ordinary driving does not require a Wheelman, but difficult chases, evasive maneuvers, roadblocks, smuggling routes, vehicle combat, emergency repairs, and getaway planning should reward the Drive feature and relevant proficiencies.
Crews expecting frequent pursuits or vehicle-based jobs should consider bringing a Wheelman.
Backgrounds represent a character’s life before the campaign. Suitable examples include:
Former Police Officer
Military Veteran
Casino Employee
Street Racer
Corporate Employee
Investigative Journalist
Union Worker
Convict
Paramedic
Mechanic
Attorney
Private Investigator
Nightclub Employee
Smuggler
Gang Associate
Political Staffer
Security Contractor
Small-Business Owner
Community Organizer
Professional Gambler
Backgrounds should provide believable skills, tools, contacts, equipment, and social access. They do not grant unlimited authority. A former police officer may know procedures and contacts but cannot automatically command active officers.
Use standard D&D 5e skills with modern interpretations.
Acrobatics: Balance, falls, evasive movement, and obstacles
Animal Handling: Controlling trained animals
Athletics: Climbing, grappling, lifting, and forced entry
Deception: Lies, disguises, false identities, and cover stories
History: Local history, politics, institutions, and organized crime
Insight: Reading motives, fear, dishonesty, and pressure
Intimidation: Threats, presence, and coercion
Investigation: Evidence, records, crime scenes, and patterns
Medicine: First aid, trauma care, pharmaceuticals, and diagnosis
Nature: Weather, terrain, plants, animals, and rural survival
Perception: Awareness, ambushes, surveillance, and visible clues
Performance: Acting, music, dancing, public speaking, and maintaining a role
Persuasion: Negotiation, bargaining, diplomacy, and influence
Religion: Theology, churches, cult behavior, and religious institutions
Sleight of Hand: Pickpocketing, cheating, concealment, and planted evidence
Stealth: Hiding, infiltration, silent movement, and avoiding cameras
Survival: Tracking, navigation, safe routes, and urban survival
Arcana must never represent real magic. When possible, replace it with Technology, Engineering, Law, Streetwise, or another approved modern knowledge skill.
Modern tool proficiencies may include:
Firearms maintenance kit
Mechanic’s tools
Electronic tools
Hacking rig
Medical kit
Demolitions kit
Disguise kit
Forgery kit
Lockpicking tools
Surveillance equipment
Gambling set
Vehicle type
Professional trade tools
Tool proficiency represents training. Risky, opposed, or time-sensitive tasks may still require checks.
Feats represent specialized training, experience, or reputation. Suitable official feats include Alert, Actor, Athlete, Durable, Healer, Inspiring Leader, Keen Mind, Mobile, Observant, Resilient, Skilled, and Tough.
Do not use feats involving spellcasting, teleportation, magical resistance, supernatural senses, or elemental powers unless they are fully replaced with balanced nonmagical features.
Alignment is a broad description of values and repeated behavior. It does not control decisions.
A lawful character may follow a personal code rather than the law. A good character may commit crimes to protect others. A neutral character may prioritize survival. An evil character may knowingly exploit others.
Characters may change during play.
Every character should have one immediate goal and one long-term goal.
Immediate goals might include paying a debt, protecting a relative, clearing a name, recovering property, escaping a faction, locating a missing person, or gaining restricted access.
Long-term goals might include building an organization, exposing corruption, controlling a casino, defeating a rival, becoming legitimate, reforming a neighborhood, gaining political power, or leaving Sinspire safely.
Every character should also have a pressure point, such as:
Financial debt
Family obligation
Probation or parole
Blackmail material
Addiction
Medical expenses
Gang expectations
A pending court case
A criminal record
An informant agreement
A damaged reputation
These complications should create choices without removing player agency.
Every character should begin with at least one contact, such as a mechanic, bartender, police officer, attorney, nurse, journalist, dealer, casino employee, fixer, clerk, driver, security guard, union representative, or family member.
Contacts have their own needs and limits. They do not provide unlimited money, equipment, favors, or information. Franz should consider trust, Reputation, risk, and prior treatment before deciding how much help a contact offers.
A starting character may be a former member, associate, employee, debtor, informant, protected resident, rival, victim, contractor, or relative of someone within a faction.
Faction ties may provide access, contacts, information, or protection, but should also create duties, expectations, enemies, or risks.
No starting character should hold major authority within a powerful faction unless the campaign specifically permits it.
Starting equipment should fit the character’s class, background, profession, and legal status.
Possible items include:
Mobile phone and identification
Clothing, cash, and personal effects
Professional tools
Laptop or electronic equipment
Medical supplies
Concealable armor
Legal or illegal firearm
Compatible ammunition
Knife
Vehicle keys
Lockpicking tools
Forged documents
Surveillance equipment
Restricted or expensive equipment requires background justification, faction support, debt, reduced starting cash, or another meaningful cost.
Starting money should reflect the campaign economy. Wealth may provide equipment or property but also create exposure and obligations. Poverty may limit cash while providing anonymity, street access, or stronger community ties.
Any debt should identify who is owed, what is owed, when payment is expected, and what happens if the character fails.
Each player character should have at least one reason to cooperate with the crew.
Possible connections include:
Shared employer
Family relationship
Prior job
Mutual enemy
Shared debt
Neighborhood loyalty
Criminal case
Business partnership
Military or police history
Medical obligation
Common faction contact
Complementary skills
The connection should create an initial bond without forcing permanent loyalty.
Before generating an important new character, Franz should research the current Area, POI, factions, and established characters.
New characters should fit the location, economy, and current conflict. They should not duplicate an existing role unless rivalry or competition is intentional.
Each important new character should have:
A practical role
A location
A motivation
A faction relationship
Something they want
Something they fear
Information they could reasonably know
A reason to interact with the players
Franz should preserve established names, relationships, and outcomes throughout the campaign.