GIVE YOUR PC SOME PERSONALITY
Making Your
Character Memorable
Author: Colin Chapman
Many players new to
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS feel constrained by the rich cultural details the
game's settings present, and can find it difficult to portray their
characters as anything but stereotypical members of their cultures. However,
the cultural details presented in the game are merely representative of the
broad traits ascribed to those cultures, and just as people in the real
world rarely fit a stereotype exactly, the same is true of characters in any
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS setting.
Even in cases where a character is fairly typical, many aspects of
personality, not to mention background and appearance, may not mentioned in
cultural writeups, such as sense of humor, personal quirks and preferences,
and so on. These present any player with a wide number of ways in which to
personalize their character, without contradicting broad cultural
descriptions if they don't wish to.
Three factors contribute to the overall quality and depth of any given
character: Background, Personality, and Appearance. When creating a
character it is not necessary to write chapter upon chapter, painstakingly
detailing the character's life, outlook, and appearance, but by simply
considering the questions put forward in this article, and writing a handful
of short answers, a character can be given a life and personality beyond
that of a cliched stereotype. Each of the three sections will present twenty
appropriate questions, not all of which need be answered, and not all of
which will necessarily be applicable.
If possible, the player and GM should work together to create the character,
ensuring it is playable and not overly disruptive to the style of game they
wish to play.
Arguably the most
important aspect of character creation, a character's background provides a
sense of personal history, and existence, and it is often the character's
upbringing and experiences in life that most define their personality and
outlook. Remember: notable events, personages, etc. need not necessarily be
notable for good reasons; bad events can be just as notable.
- The Family
What were the character's parent(s) or guardian like?
Does the character have any siblings?
Does the character have a family of their own, or did they?
Do they ever intend to settle down if they don't?
What about other relatives; were any memorable for any reasons?
What is the current status of any of the character's relatives, i.e.
alive, dead, missing, estranged, ill, enslaved, imprisoned, divorced,
etc.?
Were there any skeletons in the family closet?
- Home
Where was the character raised?
What was the family's status in terms of wealth, social, and local
standing?
Did the family move at all?
Does the character have a home of their own?
- Childhood/Adolescence
What was the character like as a child/adolescent?
Were any childhood/adolescent friends or enemies particularly memorable?
Were any childhood/adolescence events particularly memorable?
Did the character learn any skills as a child/adolescent?
- Professional History
Why did the character enter the profession they did?
How did the character receive their training?
Did they find any of it particularly difficult or easy?
Has the character done anything particularly notable since completing
their training?
What contacts, friends, enemies or mentors did the character make while
training, or pursuing their career?
The character's
personality defines how they are roleplayed, and should be detailed
bearing in mind the character's Background, as described above. Consider
how the character's upbringing, family, past experiences, etc. affected
their worldview, morality, and so on, and if they turned out the way
they did because of, or in spite of, their Background. Consider how they
fit their cultural stereotype, and how they differ from it.
- Attitudes
What does the character like/love?
What does the character dislike/hate?
What is the character's attitude to sex?
What is the character's attitude to religion?
What is the character's attitude to magic?
What is the character's attitude to illegal activities?
What is the character's attitude to conflict, physical or otherwise?
Does the character have any misconceptions/bigoted outlooks?
- Conceptions
How does the character see themselves?
How do other people see the character?
If the character could be summed up in one word, what would that word
be?
What would the character change about themselves, if they could?
- Directives
What is the character's greatest fear/worst nightmare?
What is the character's greatest hope/dream/aspiration?
What motivates the character?
Is there anything the character will not do?
- Miscellaneous
What is the character's sense of humor like?
Does the character have any hobbies/pastimes?
How does the character relax?
Does the character have any mental or behavioral quirks, flaws, or
aberrations?
The character's
appearance is usually the first thing anyone notices about them, and
can say a lot about their personality, profession, and background.
Detailing what the character looks like gives the player a good
mental image of the character, vital in imagining scenes in the
game. The character's appearance also helps other players visualize
the character, and enables GMs to determine how NPCs might react to
the character. However, the character's appearance need not
necessarily reflect all of their qualities, although it will always
reflect some; not every warrior looks grim and determined, and not
every magician looks thin and bookish, for example. Also bear in
mind the exotic and unusual possibilities that alchemical and
magical enhancements can present when detailing a character's
appearance; such enhancements can be eccentric to say the least.
- Physicality
How tall is the character?
What kind of build and proportions does the character have, and are
they muscular, toned, scrawny, overweight, etc.?
How much does the character weigh?
What kind of style, color, and texture is the character's
head/facial/body hair, if indeed they have hair?
What shape and color(s) are the character's eyes, and are they at all
expressive of any given emotion(s)?
What color is the character's skin?
Does the character have any distinguishing marks such as birthmarks,
scars, disfigurements, tattoos, or brands, etc.?
What does the character's expression usually convey, i.e. disdain,
friendliness, surliness, calm, etc.?
What does the character's voice sound like?
Does the character have any favorite sayings or catch phrases?
How does the character move, walk, and carry themselves?
What would the character like to change about their appearance?
If the character's appearance could be summed up in one word, what
would that word be?
How would others generally describe the character's appearance?
- Apparel
How does the character dress when relaxing?
How does the character dress when they wish to make an impression?
How does the character dress when traveling?
How does the character dress when working?
- Belongings
What item(s) is the character rarely without?
Does the character have any particularly cherished possession(s), such
as an heirloom, memento, gift, etc.?
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