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Artalis
Senior Scribe
USA
444 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Apr 2003 : 21:34:00
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Where to begin? That's the question. When creating a character where do you start?
Is it class based like "the party needs a fighter so lemme create a fighter" or maybe you have a favorite race and class and mostly create characters of the same type?
How do you get the inspiration?
I was fortunate when creating my last character, Mumadar had very specific requirements as far as race and background which gave me a good place to start. I ran with that and the rest sort of happened.
Now admittedly Tarim Ravenmane is somewhat min/maxed but I had my reasons for that, and stand by them, and I also think that he's probably my best work as far as characters go.
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Artalis
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zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2003 : 22:08:01
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As a player: I just think a few minute, i imagine my character how she/he would act, his/her style and then i define the character class that fits her/him. I try to avoid playing the same type of character twice (unless it's a session where i just to ... can't find the word - maybe explode or have fun without thinking about complicated role play)
As a DM: I don't want the "The group needs a fighter so i make a fighter". When i began my campaign i wanted them to know nothing about each others characters. They were lucky because they made very different characters.
What i try to avoid now is very complicated characters, i played once at CoC with 8 players and they all chose Diplomats, Doctors,... all with specific behaviours. It was hard to have a united group |
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branmakmuffin
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2003 : 22:12:42
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This sounds flip, but it's not.
I start with the stats. I try to figure out how to arrange the stats to get the type of character I like to play (I pretty much always play the same type of character). |
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Targon Moonrise
Learned Scribe
163 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2003 : 23:33:29
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| For me, I've started with the class but I choose a class that I like. Also, I never want to just "copy" one of my other characters so I flip around the classes between different characters. |
May Melkor smile upon every spell you cast. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2003 : 05:16:25
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Greetings,
Artalis said -
quote:
Is it class based like "the party needs a fighter so lemme create a fighter" or maybe you have a favorite race and class and mostly create characters of the same type?
As a DM, I like to provide the group with all the details concerning all classes, and then allow them to decide for themselves. They only time I put restrictions in place, is when a character class choice looks like it could create potential campaign conflicts.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2003 : 05:23:14
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Sorry, I forgot to add my opinions on choosing a character when I was a player.
It's been about three years since I last role-played a PC, but for me, race normally played a critical role. Nearly all of my PC's have been Gnomes.
Stats for me are not a crucial starting point. I had sometimes placed stats in abilities in random order, making the role-playing experience much more interesting.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Yasraena
Senior Scribe
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2003 : 20:45:39
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I ususually start with an 'idea' or inspiration for the character, its race, gender, class and history. From there, I try to assign the the stats I roll to fit that idea. Admitedly, I have a tendency to play spellcaster/fighter/rogue type characters. They can be either a single or multiclass, and are usually female, although I do have a few male PC's too. (There's something about the challenge of playing the opposite sex that has always intrugued me.  )
The inspiration can come from any number of places for me, from what I've recently read, to what the party needs. Yasraena was a direct result of reading the Dark Elf trilogy. I wanted to play a female counterpart to Drizzt. My Dark Sun preserver, Daeron, was the result of me never having played a single class mage before and the challenge seemed fun (and the party needed a spellcaster).
As far as GMing goes, I'm with zemd. I usually don't allow the players to know anything about one another at first so they'll create a PC that they really want to play and have ideas for, instead of the "we need a (insert class), so I guess I'll play one" scenario. |
"Nindyn vel'uss malar verin z'klaen tlu kyone ulu naut doera nindel vel'bolen nind malar."
Yasraena T'Sarran
Harper of Silverymoon |
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Drummer Boy
Senior Scribe
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2003 : 19:29:49
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| I usually start thinking of where my character is going to live and how he/she will fit into the society, but after that I make the character sheet and statistics, and I do not really think much about the character background until I am done doing that. Once I have a character sheet written out, I think of a name for my character and start going into detail about him/her; and I begin making a background. After that, I just revise my character sheet and background as needed, and I can begin to play my character. I don't tend to think, "The party needs a fighter so lemme create a fighter," but I just tend to make whatever kind of character I feel like playing. |
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Yack
Acolyte
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2003 : 03:53:53
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I use a little phrase to help my players character (I'm mostly a DM) should be, the old "it's all about...", with that and some strong emotion, interesting verb or factor of their choosing a little story spring from my head, using that as background the player and me will fill the gaps together to make characters that will be mold according to the campaign we running, this method while somewhat limit the player choices, it also prove to give more to how the campaign develop as a communal shared story.
a little example of what turn to become an assassin, a fall-from-grace paladin and a ranger a bit too obsessed with his natural enemy;
its all about guilt...
...but was her eyes what speak the louder, the gaze of one that have seen men cry like infants, that see the dead as the natural conclusion whenever is her duty involve, those are the eyes of a killer, one drown in others blood, a killer now living under the curse of a thousand souls, hunted by the screams of past victims in each beat of her hearth, but this was a killer that fail to assassin the feelings within herself, turning her in a broken soul forever damned to find the waters to clean the stains of guilt.
its all about honor...
I use to be like you my son... a hero people said, a paladin in a holy quest, one with a drive in life beyond his own, but as you can see, it all can change, this shell of a man you stare at now is not but another brick holding the altar I was trying to destroy, nothing more than a pilar to support what use to be my hated enemy. that is the road of the righteous, a long path into a dark place, with each step taking you close to victory also make you stand more and more lonely, and when the road is finally over, when you reach that place, you found yourself alone, with only your enemy at your side, is then, and only then when you realize how strong the embrace of darkness is, all the ideals, all the oaths, all the actions of a lifetime drained away of your soul in a single tear.
its all about hate...
You are my last allied and companion, the only able to fill the empty spaces inside me, the one that feed the will to live on me, and if is truth that my soul and heart turn smaller each day to give you the room the exist inside me, is also truth that soul and heart have no use for those like me, those that no longer seek peace but only revenge, those that no longer seek love but to be fear among others, is you hate the one that shape my sword and action, is you hate my path to follow. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2003 : 05:54:27
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Well, I have created a grand total of three characters. Two of them were for the fanfic I've mentioned elsewhere on here: A rogue and a modified monk. The third one I created for Mumadar's Silver Marches game, this time making a mage.
I just started with the kind of character I wanted. With the mage . . . well, I liked the mage.  I was going to change it if there was too much magic in the game already, but magic was something I wanted to play with. I wanted a half-elf, as well, even after I found all the feat/skill bonuses humans could do.
The rest of the character creation really flowed after Mumadar mentioned that my character could have a "formal" background at one of Silverymoon's magical academies. I gave information about parentage, how this character was considered outcast among "proper" elves, how he (his name's Kevin Janis, by the way) was always around the libraries and such, soaking up learning. He entered formal education for magic, royally ticked off a professor, and was expelled just before graduation. (It wasn't his fault, but even so, tact isn't a strong point of his.)
Now, for the monk and rogue . . . I won't say much here. But basically the character for the first started out as very good at unarmed fighting. When I saw the stats for the monk, I figured he'd be considered a very strange member of that class. I'm in the process (so I keep saying  ) of balancing out the more supernatural aspects. The rogue (half-elf female, named Faera) is a more warriorlike sort of theif, who's more in it to prove herself rather than get lots of money. (Not that she wouldn't object if, say, opportunety left its guard down . . . .) |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Malice
Seeker
USA
83 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2003 : 04:15:11
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Me, I usually choose a race first. Then I create a bio, then from that, a class that would most likely result from the character's past.
After that, it's just all details. Malice is a character that I have been working on for a few months now, and I really like the way that he has turned out. |
"Khaless? Ha. Vel'bol zhah nindol 'khaless' dos telanth? d'usstan zhaun ol naut." |
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Edain Shadowstar
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2003 : 04:07:22
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| Typically, I start with a history and build the character around the character's past. It works for me, since I tend to be roleplay heavy. The only exception would be Edain, who was an Elven Wizard first and everything else later. |
Edain Shadowstar
Archwizard of Rel Astra and Waterdeep
"Mmm…pie…"
- Gaius Solarian, Captain General |
Edited by - Edain Shadowstar on 02 May 2003 04:07:55 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2003 : 14:59:24
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Greetings,
Edain Shadowstar said -
quote:
Typically, I start with a history and build the character around the character's past. It works for me, since I tend to be roleplay heavy. The only exception would be Edain, who was an Elven Wizard first and everything else later.
That's always interesting and fun. Building upon the past is what gives the PC's an element of realism, and a sense that this character is unique and not just another hack-and-slash fighter or barbarian.
My game sessions are also role-play heavy so I encourage the players to fully flesh out their PC's history before anything else, normally. It is only rare occassions that the outline I gave in my previous post is actually used.
As you can no doubt imagine, my on-again off-again PC Rastromo Meradoc, the Sage of Perth is one of my oldest characters, and therefore has a very rich history.
Good learning...
- The Sage of Perth: For all your Realms lore needs
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Fynn Céldor
Acolyte
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2003 : 12:41:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Edain Shadowstar
Typically, I start with a history and build the character around the character's past. It works for me, since I tend to be roleplay heavy.
That way work great for myself as well. Sometimes I lay in bed and day dream in school thinking of things like that for my characters.. Role Playing a well thought out PC with a rich background is the best part of the game. It's what it is. |
spirit. it is the hero's strength, the mother's resilieance, and the poor man's armor. it cannot be broken, and it cannot be taken away. this i must believe. |
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eilinel
Learned Scribe
France
296 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2003 : 11:15:50
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| I don't know, i don't have typical way to create my characters... I like to give them a huge background with nothing inside... actually just to explain to the DM how the character will be played and the main characteristics are and also how they came. Then the DM uses it or no, its not the real problem in fact. The goal of the background is for me to test my character like u test a ball before playing tennis, basket and so on, just to have it well in hand. |
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Artalis
Senior Scribe
USA
444 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2003 : 11:54:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Sage of Perth
<snip>
As you can no doubt imagine, my on-again off-again PC Rastromo Meradoc, the Sage of Perth is one of my oldest characters, and therefore has a very rich history.
<snip>
Rastromo conjures images of the Nostromo, Ripleys ship
Meradoc reminds me of Meriadoc Brandybuck a halfling of some repute,
An interesting combination of taking good sounding names and tweaking them for your own use (providing I am not imagining this).
Not to mention the quality of the souces of those names. |
Artalis
Email
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2003 : 07:57:06
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Actually Artalis you are half-correct in your analysis of the composition of Rastromo Meradoc's name.
Your statement -
quote:
Meradoc reminds me of Meriadoc Brandybuck a halfling of some repute
is actually pretty close to the reasoning behind the selection of my PC's last name. Your theorizing for Rastromo was not however. Rastromo was based on a bumbling but brillant sage/wizard from an old fantasy book I read 10 years ago. I can't at this time remember the name of it.
But the reasoning for my PC's first name came from the combining of that main character first name - which was Yasztromo, and the Dragonlance classic Master of Past and Present - Raistlin.
I like to splice names for characters sometimes, it almost as fun as generating the character itself.
May your learning be free and unfettered.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2003 : 17:28:46
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I usually start with a character concept. This usually works wit hNPC's now. I rarely play anymore excepting the LARP. I am always the DM now. I find I like a character concept, and then I work off of that.
For example I ALWAYS wanted to have an adventure with a GOOD ALIGNED villain (Read he is opposed to the characters, not necessarily a bad guy). I accomplished this with a Lawful Good Paladin/Inquisitor of Tyr. HE had the entire Guilty until proven innocent view, and would mistreat them (not torture or anything) until proven innocent. He was convinced that some good people had an evil seed in them and that is why his detect evil did not always show up. SO he would use various inquisitor abilities to prove their guilt or innocence. If his detect evil ALARMED, he would almost always execute quickly.
I had to be on my toes. My players know how harsh I am on playing paladins, so this NPC was ALWAYS scrutinized. It was such a difficult line to travel. But the players agreed he did not ever do anything EVIL and he certainly was ALWAYS lawful to a fault, so I never had to strip him of paladinhood. He is still around, and an enemy of the players because they proved him wrong often. He does not assualt the players or anything, but acts as a bureacratic enemy.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Alexis Merlin
Learned Scribe
USA
115 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2003 : 19:06:08
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Sage - I believe that the Yaztromo to which you refer appeared in the good old "Fighting Fantasy" series of gamebooks - the first one in which he appeared was "The Forest of Doom" though he also appeared in the novel spin-offs as well. I don't know if anyone else has heard of this series? They also did an RPG called "Dungeoneer" which was quite cool - the main authors in the series were Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone.....(ducks as a scroll crashes overhead and he realises he is drifting OT)
I also use the same system for naming characters as you sage - take a 1st name from one place and a 2nd from somewhere else...a quick look at the suthors of my college textbooks always helped in that regard |
It is knowledge that influences and equalizes the social condition of man; that gives to all, however different their political position, passions which are in common, and enjoyments which are universal.
(Benjamin Disraeli)
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eilinel
Learned Scribe
France
296 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2003 : 13:07:44
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quote:
For example I ALWAYS wanted to have an adventure with a GOOD ALIGNED villain (Read he is opposed to the characters, not necessarily a bad guy). I accomplished this with a Lawful Good Paladin/Inquisitor of Tyr. HE had the entire Guilty until proven innocent view, and would mistreat them (not torture or anything) until proven innocent. He was convinced that some good people had an evil seed in them and that is why his detect evil did not always show up. SO he would use various inquisitor abilities to prove their guilt or innocence. If his detect evil ALARMED, he would almost always execute quickly
i always say that paladins could be the worst guys u would ever meet... no one believes me |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1287 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2003 : 22:40:17
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quote:
Originally posted by eilinel
i always say that paladins could be the worst guys u would ever meet... no one believes me
Well my players would beleive you:)
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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eilinel
Learned Scribe
France
296 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2003 : 18:03:39
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i guess so, just hearing u... wouldn't like to go deeper in ur campagn, paladins are not my kind, its a fact.
But i like to play an one, but don't want to meet them when im not.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2003 : 08:09:11
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Greetings,
Alexis Merlin said -
quote:
Sage - I believe that the Yaztromo to which you refer appeared in the good old "Fighting Fantasy" series of gamebooks - the first one in which he appeared was "The Forest of Doom" though he also appeared in the novel spin-offs as well. I don't know if anyone else has heard of this series? They also did an RPG called "Dungeoneer" which was quite cool - the main authors in the series were Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone.....(ducks as a scroll crashes overhead and he realises he is drifting OT)
I also use the same system for naming characters as you sage - take a 1st name from one place and a 2nd from somewhere else...a quick look at the suthors of my college textbooks always helped in that regard
Thanks for that Alexis, I knew the book was from the Fighting Fantasy series, I just couldn't remember the name of it. But what I do remember is that he also appeared in some of the Zagor books as well.
Splicing characters names are one of the most interesting aspects of creating a PC for me. I also utilise the characters birthplace and try to get a feel for regional names, working on creation for a name from there, mostly by splicing.
Good learning...
- The Sage of Perth: For all your Realms Lore needs
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Von Seossk
Acolyte
27 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 02:22:35
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| Well, I think the most important thing to me is what kind of character it is I want to play at that time. Most of my friends know that it will usually end up being some kind of melee so they plan accordingly. What I start with changes every time, though I usually start with what class I want to play. If a class really grabs me, I'll jones until I get a chance to play it in game. However, one time I learned that we were to play in Dark Sun, and magic is not so prevalent their, but psionics is, and so I looked for a class in the XPH, and came out witht the Psychic Warrior. Typically, I'll already have a number of already thought out characters, that I'll retool to fit any particular rules that the DM has. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 03:50:16
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| The character concept is the first part. Once I figure out who the character is, all the other details -- like stats and feats and such -- simply fall into place. |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 07:58:01
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| With me it can vary greatly; sometimes I let the dice decide, sometimes there is a concept, sometimes it I start with drawing a small character portrait. As I generally create NPC's, it depends on their role in the adventure/campaign. The more important characters are more carefully planned, but sometimes randomness in minor characters can break sett patterns of thinking/creating for me as a DM. |
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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 12:52:15
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As to the initial question, I always start with my imagination.....and then make a wizard.
I like the teamwork involved in making a well balanced party though. My current adventuring party has 2 sorcerers, a wizard (me), a lizard dude monk, and a thief. We are getting a cleric so that should make us very unpleasant to deal with at high levels. Arcane magic rocks!  |
Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 18:00:14
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| Pretty much what Wooly said, I usually start with the concept (personality, race, class) and the rest fits into place around it. Sometimes I come up with a race/class combination that would be cool to play and then work a personality out afterwards, but usually it comes as part of the package. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Na-Gang
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
348 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 14:49:02
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| I like Clerics and Wizards so I usually play one or other or a combination, the stats are obviously very important in determining what type of cleric or wizard I could play. But I actually very often go looking for a miniature first, without much idea of what I want to play and when I find one that inspires me I go with that. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 15:46:01
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i start thinking of an interesting character concept ... and then i plot in the race and the first class ... and from then i build a background and depending on the level add additionel classes and build up a plan for what the character should go for later
my most interesting characters is a Female halfling rogue that crossdresses as a Human child (and is a prostitude) and a Sun Elf Diviner that is a fierce defender of knowlegde and pretty much lock himself in each and every time he sees a libery and stays there till he've read all books he haven't read before :p |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 04:39:39
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| Either I go with what is needed or I simply go with what I feel would be a great character...usually something I haven't tried before but sometimes the tried and true....just different persona and what not. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Where do you start when creating a character?
