Index Card RPG: 105 Characters and Adventure Groups

A massive collection of heroes and teams across every genre for fast-paced tabletop adventures

Six heroes from different genres standing shoulder to shoulder, drawn in bold black felt-marker ink: a knight with a sword, a cowgirl gunslinger, a space soldier with a carbine, a cyberpunk hacker with a datapad, a hooded masked vigilante, and a young sorceress with a wand.
Knights, gunslingers, space soldiers and hackers: 105 heroes, every genre, one card each.

📚 Quick Reference: Character Building Blocks

Every character in this collection is built from three core elements: Stats, Effort, and Goals. Like building blocks that click together, these simple components create infinite possibilities for heroic adventure. Each card lists a type from the six example types in Character Building (Warrior, Mage, Ranger, Rogue, Mechanic, Psion; when a concept such as a healer-priest or a pilot has no type of its own, the card names the nearest fit), 1 heart (10 HP), the usual ICRPG starting point, the character's main Effort types, and about five pieces of starting gear with the Defense they give: 10 plus armor, using only armor values given elsewhere in this guide (Character Examples, Adventure Groups and Conversion): a Kevlar vest +3; chain mail, a breastplate, an armored smart suit or light cyber plating +2; a shield, leather armor or a leather coat +1; robes and cloaks add nothing. Every ICRPG hero can roll any Effort type when the situation calls for it: Basic d4, Weapons & Tools d6, Guns d8, Energy/Magic d10, Ultimate d12. The stat bonuses, goals and gear are this guide's examples, not official characters. Their stat totals vary on purpose (a scrappy rookie and a seasoned space marine shouldn't look the same), so they aren't a point budget: for a new hero at your table, use the starting budget from your edition so everyone starts even. Where a card lists d12 Ultimate as a main Effort, it's a signature move used once per encounter, not an everyday die.

Load them into your cards. All 105 characters on this page can go straight into the Character & Monster Cards: press Load sample characters there, or download the sample card file and use Import. Each card gets its Type, the six stat bonuses, 1 heart (10 HP), a ★ in the Effort boxes for the character's main Effort types (bonus +0, since the starting gear is ordinary and adds no Effort bonus), and the main Effort line and goal under Abilities. The starting gear goes under Equipped Loot, one item per line with each armor piece's bonus, and the Defense box gets 10 plus those bonuses. The concept goes under Notes, and group members also get the group's name, the rest of its roster and its dynamic. The one name shared by two characters (Gale "Stormrider" Wind) gets the group's name in brackets so both cards are kept.

🐺 Solo Characters - The Lone Wolves

Sometimes heroes walk alone, carrying the weight of destiny on solitary shoulders. These individuals represent the archetypal lone warrior, each complete and self-sufficient.

🤝 Dynamic Duos - Partners in Adventure

Two heroes united by fate, friendship, or necessity. These partnerships showcase how complementary skills create bonds stronger than any individual effort.

🔱 Terrific Trios - Three-Part Harmony

Three heroes form a perfect triangle of skills and personalities. Each trio represents a complete adventure unit where every member fills essential roles.

⭐ Fantastic Foursomes - Classic Adventure Teams

Four heroes represent the classic adventure party structure. Each quartet demonstrates how different combinations of skills create balanced teams capable of handling any challenge.

🔥 Mighty Quintets - Five-Hero Synergy

Five heroes create complex dynamics with specialized roles and intricate relationships. These teams showcase how larger groups can tackle epic challenges requiring diverse expertise.

👑 Supreme Sextets - Six-Hero Powerhouses

Six heroes represent the ultimate adventure team, with enough diversity to handle any challenge while creating rich interpersonal dynamics and specialized role combinations.

📊 Character Collection Statistics

This collection holds 105 characters across multiple genres and group configurations, demonstrating ICRPG's flexibility and the infinite possibilities for heroic adventure.

Collection Breakdown

Total Characters: 105

10 Solo Heroes, 10 Duo Partners, 15 Trio Members, 16 Quartet Members, 15 Quintet Members, 18 Sextet Members, plus 21 more in the Extended Solo Gallery (12) and Bonus Adventure Groups (9), for 23 groups in all

Genre Distribution (approximate)

Fantasy: 28%, Sci-Fi: 25%, Modern: 18%, Cyberpunk: 15%, Post-Apocalyptic: 8%, Superhero: 6%

Role Variety (approximate)

Combat: 32%, Magic/Tech: 28%, Social: 15%, Support: 15%, Hybrid: 10%

🎲 Quick Character Generators

Use these simple tables to generate characters on the fly for any ICRPG adventure.

Quick Stat Arrays (Roll d6)

  1. Balanced: +2, +2, +1, +1, +1, +0
  2. Specialist: +3, +2, +1, +1, +0, +0
  3. Generalist: +2, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1
  4. Powerhouse: +3, +3, +1, +0, +0, +0
  5. Survivor: +2, +2, +2, +1, +0, +0
  6. Wild Card: Roll each stat individually

Quick Goals (Roll d12)

  1. Seek revenge against betrayer
  2. Protect innocent community
  3. Discover family heritage
  4. Master a dangerous skill
  5. Find the lost artifact
  6. Escape pursuing enemies
  7. Restore fallen kingdom
  8. Cure magical plague
  9. Unite warring factions
  10. Explore uncharted lands
  11. Overthrow corrupt ruler
  12. Prove worth to peers

Quick Main Effort (Roll d8)

  1. d6 Weapon (sword, bow, tools)
  2. d8 Gun (pistol, rifle)
  3. d10 Magic (magic, tech, psychic)
  4. d6 Weapon + d10 Magic
  5. d6 Weapon + d12 Ultimate (signature move, 1/encounter)
  6. d8 Gun + d6 Weapon
  7. d10 Magic + d12 Ultimate (signature power, 1/encounter)
  8. d8 Gun + d12 Ultimate (heavy ordnance, 1/encounter)

Quick Personality Traits (Roll d20)

  1. Brave but reckless
  2. Wise but hesitant
  3. Strong but gentle
  4. Smart but arrogant
  5. Fast but impatient
  6. Charming but deceptive
  7. Loyal but stubborn
  8. Creative but chaotic
  9. Honest but blunt
  10. Kind but naive
  11. Fierce but protective
  12. Calm but secretive
  13. Bold but foolish
  14. Careful but paranoid
  15. Funny but inappropriate
  16. Noble but proud
  17. Skilled but obsessed
  18. Tough but scarred
  19. Smart but antisocial
  20. Lucky but cursed

More lone wolves for every genre and situation, each ready to join any adventure or lead their own story.

🎁 Bonus Adventure Groups

Additional teams showcasing even more combinations and group dynamics across various genres and sizes.

💡 Campaign Hooks and Adventure Seeds

Every character and group needs adventures. These hooks can launch campaigns or provide session ideas for any of the characters above.

Fantasy Adventure Hooks

  1. Ancient dragon awakens, demanding tribute from rebuilt civilization
  2. Magical plague transforms citizens into living spells
  3. Portal to elemental chaos opens in the royal gardens
  4. Undead army marches carrying banners of forgotten kingdom
  5. Divine artifact splits into shards scattered across realms
  6. Demon cult infiltrates the holy order of paladins

Sci-Fi Adventure Hooks

  1. First contact with aliens who communicate through music
  2. Space station's AI develops religious beliefs about humanity
  3. Time travelers arrive warning of galactic war
  4. Mysterious signals from dead planets spell out human names
  5. Corporate colony ships launch toward already-inhabited worlds
  6. Psychic virus spreads through telepathic networks

Modern Adventure Hooks

  1. Social media influencer starts manifesting followers' wishes
  2. Government conspiracy involves shapeshifting politicians
  3. Natural disasters follow supernatural predictable patterns
  4. Missing persons cases lead to underground monster fighting rings
  5. Tech billionaire's new app grants real magical powers
  6. Climate change awakens hibernating prehistoric spirits

Universal Adventure Hooks

  1. Heroes receive cryptic message from future selves
  2. Powerful enemy offers to join the heroes permanently
  3. Innocent person the heroes saved becomes dangerous villain
  4. Heroes discover their actions caused the crisis they're fighting
  5. Legendary hero from stories appears, completely different from myths
  6. Heroes must choose between saving one person or saving everyone

🛠️ Building Your Own Character Collection

Use these guidelines to create endless characters for your ICRPG adventures, following the simple but effective patterns demonstrated above.

Start with Core Concept

Every great character begins with a simple, clear concept: "cyberpunk hacker seeking revenge," "reformed assassin protecting innocents," or "cosmic guardian maintaining balance." Build everything from this foundation.

Make Goals Personal and Achievable

The best character goals are specific, personal, and possible to achieve through adventure. "Save the world" is too vague; "save my sister from the demon cult" creates immediate direction and emotional stakes.

Balance Stats with Story

High stats should reflect character background and training. A scholar needs high INT/WIS, a warrior needs STR/CON, but interesting combinations create memorable characters.

Choose Effort that Tells Stories

Effort dice reveal character methods and power sources. Leaning on Gun Effort (d8) suggests military training or serious firepower, while Magic Effort (d10) used for healing implies divine calling or medical education.

Create Group Connections

Characters work better with relationships to other party members. Shared backstories, complementary goals, or opposing philosophies that still allow cooperation create richer adventures.

Leave Room for Growth

Don't over-define characters initially. Leave space for personality development, new relationships, and goal evolution as adventures unfold and characters respond to unexpected challenges.

© 2026 Ray de la Paz. The Index Card RPG Guide. All rights reserved. · Ray's House of Fun
Index Card RPG and ICRPG are trademarks of Runehammer Games. This guide is an unofficial fan resource.