Character Creation, Part 2
Last time, I outlined a few ways that I’ve seen people go about creating characters. So this time, I’ll go over how I do it.
Sadly (or perhaps it’s a good thing), there’s no one formula I use. Sometimes I will think, “Wow, that’s a neat power/ability! I think I’ll design a character around that.” Sometimes I’ll be intrigued by a character in a movie or book, see a synergy in them with another character from some different series (or half-formed concept already lurking in my brain), and combine the two (or more) into something new. Sometimes I hear a particularly awesome song and it just gives me a concept. That last was how I made my character Sammael; here’s the song (not sure if this will work in Facebook, so if not, the file is here):
The child-like-yet-creepy tune gave me the image of a kid in a cathedral with dead bodies all around him. I let the scene play out in my head, and created a character from the result. What caused the scene? What happened before? What would it do to a child, and what would they end up like after? Just a small jump from one step to the next, and by the time it’s done, you have a character.
But more often than not, inspiration strikes randomly. I’m not sure what path those neural impulses take, but one minute I’ll be all, “Mmmm, steak,” and the next it’s, “Wouldn’t it be neat if there were a modern-day cop who worshiped Aztec gods and made human sacrifices out of really evil people that got let go due to legal loopholes?”
So if I had to nail down a formula, here would be the steps (though sometimes the order shifts drastically):
- Figure out the character concept — the core of who the character is, what they do, and why. This part is actually pretty easy for me.
- Flesh out the personality. Give the character some quirks. If the character concept follows a stereotype, find some ways to break the mold.
- Write a background story. This part is also pretty easy, but requires a bit more discipline.
- Fill out the character sheet. Also easy, once the above are complete.
- Come up with a name for the character. Hardest part, almost without fail.
I’ve found that once I’ve done 1-3, the character sheet comes almost without thought. By that point, I know the character. I know what they’re good at, what they like, what they would have practiced and studied. So filling out the skills, powers, and the rest of the character sheet is easy.
Step 5, ironically, probably takes me longer than any of the other steps. I don’t like just giving a character any name; I like to give them a name that “feels” right for them, that evokes the right emotions, and that often takes a while.
Overall, I find that I enjoy characters as much as playing them, on average. Sometimes I have more fun making the character than playing it, or vice-versa, but in the end it’s about even. If there’s one thing I like about being the storyteller/gamemaster/what-have-you, it’s that I get to create and play a bunch of different characters.
“Wow, that’s a neat power/ability*(combination of abilities)*! I think I’ll design a character around that.”- There's another way to make a character than this?
For people who play the game as they would a computer game/board game/game of Magic, probably not — that is _the_ way to play. And that's a valid way to play. Hell, D&D was practically made for it, with a smattering on the side of, "Oh and if you want to roleplay instead of rollplay, you can do that too; I mean, I guess you have to talk in order to start adventures and stuff."You ever tried wargaming, Bobbo? I think you might really like it. Especially historical wargaming — it has history, strategy, resource allocation, etc.
I'll actually do the same thing. I pick a concept and it springs from there though normally the background and the personality step are grouped into 1.
Excellent backstory for Sammael. It was a good read.
I start with either concept or class, if I'm using a system with the latter. If I start with class, I "drybrush" personality that slowly becomes more refined over the course of play.
Like Justin, I also start with either concept or class and then refine a personality. Then, I go through the same questions as drawing a sketch: What would the character's pose denote? The cut of the hair and clothing? What body shape would they have in order to look believable?The name is always the hardest part, either way.
@Justin: So you prefer to work the details of your character's personality out during play? That's an interesting twist that for some reason I didn't think to mention. It seems natural enough, though. Sketch out the character, then as you play them, see what works best for you.@Liana: Hah, perhaps I'm just not artistic, but I'm not sure what the personality equivalent of "What body shape would they have in order to look believable" is.
Notable that you tend to think very visually though, with the character's personality being closely linked to their appearance. And yeah, stupid damn names! Maybe one reason why I like Exalted better — it's easier to name characters in that.
I generally, but not always, play characters that exaggerate one or more aspects of my personality. Sometimes I will be inspired by a person (a Scoutmaster springs to mind), and sometimes I invert it to play something a little out of my normal mode.Building up a backstory during play is my typical MO. It depends on the character.Re: names, when I play Exalted I try to have a story to go with the name, and only occasionally will that name go along with the character's nature. I've also had an Eclipse named Light Protector, so it goes both ways
@Mike: "What body shape…" Well, a rogue will look different from a fighter, because they will require their bodies to be doing very different things. High int would possibly look more bookish than a high wis, while charisma could be shown either in looks, style, or facial expression. It is a very visual way of going about it. My goal is for any person to be able to accurately read what that character is about, just by looking at the sketch.
I like to play characters who highlight parts of the universe that I really enjoy – or even better, romanticize. Then, I ground aspects of the character in my favorite parts of myself. Once all of that is done, leftover points are used to make the character more fun to play in the game that they're intended for.
@Daniel: I find that playing things outside of my "comfort zone" helps me to overcome some personal barriers. Probably the same way that many introverts end up guild leaders in MMOs, and then begin to take on leadership positions in the real world.@Liana: Right, but I just find it interesting that when I talked about character creation, you immediately think visual design for the character. For most of us, that never enters the equation, as you are among the talented minority that has worthwhile artistic talent.
@Dustin: It shows in your NPCs, all of which are very unique and archetypal in their own way, but with quirks and twists that give them depth. I don't think I've actually ever played in a game where you were one of the PCs, have I?
Wow, that's stupid. I think you're right, Mike.
[...] Yes, it seems that I’ve decided to go on a tangent about my thoughts on roleplaying. [...]