Character Appearances

[Gale]

I'm simply wondering how you guys typically handle describing your characters' appearances to other players. It was something that was mostly neglected in the last campaign I played in and I'm hoping to avoid having it happen again. Only knowing a character by their name, race, and class just seems weird.

[Fenryr]

When they meet for the first time, I take a minute or two two describe my characters physically. Out of character, of course. If you like to write backgrounds or stories about the character you may also splash 'em with clues or details about the appearance.

[Grayson01]

I Draw a Picture

[Octopusapult]

I actually like it better not knowing what the people look like. I only describe NPCs so players can talk about "the guy with the scar" but generally they talk about themselves in game. When they describe NPCs or GMPCs they remember the name. When they remember something they did it's always by name or "I."

It's like they avatar themselves into the characters. So it's easy to just picture them, or barring that a generic look-a-like of the race they're playing.

[Gwendol]

A description of their physical appearance, clothing/armor, what visible gear they carry, together with a picture or portrait.

[molten_dragon]

I'll usually find a picture online that fits the character well (Deviantart is great for this) and just show that to the other players.

[Chronos]

My current character, I never gave much thought to his appearance, beyond "He's a human in full plate", since it wasn't very important. But I did make a picture of his holy symbol, because that's more relevant to that particular character.

My previous character, I lucked out, because my mental image of him happened to look exactly like the Kickstarter bonus mini of the male dwarven druid. Well, aside from the whole stick figure thing, but you know what I mean.

The character before that was a bard, and hence appearance was somewhat important to her, so I gave more of a description.

And my next character has some distinguishing traits that provide some clue as to his character and background, so I'll include those at least.

[Segev]

When new characters join parties in games I'm usually in, everybody goes around the table and describes their characters as they appear in the scene that's going on. If it's a new character with an old player, we skip the "go around the table" part unless it's really important to setting the scene, but the new PC still gets described by his player to everybody else.

[Gabe the Bard]

I've used pictures before, but they usually aren't remembered for very long. I've found it's more effective to give a description of an archetype or famous figure that becomes a shorthand representation of both the character's appearance and personality. i.e. My barbarian rage prophet is a hermit that looks like John the Baptist, or my cavalier resembles Kenneth Branagh in Henry V.

[Red Fel]

I don't feel the need to detail appearances. It gets kind of weird, for me. I keep it to basics - hair color and length, eye color, skin tone, height, species, and a general description of clothing. (Example: "You see a short woman, perhaps a halfling, with shoulder-length black hair, tanned skin, and amber eyes. She's dressed simply in a gray linen tunic and skirt. She raises an eyebrow at you, but says nothing." Three sentences and we're done.)

What I describe in greater detail is action and attitude. He fingers a knife impatiently. She smirks, eyes glinting. He rolls his eyes, yawning far too visibly. I find those paint a more vivid picture than just giving a paint-by-numbers.