Collecting Character Prompts or Ideas for 5e

[Wasp]

Hi everyone

I love creating D&D characters but due to the current situation I feel somehow less creative or inspired.

Therefore, I thought maybe we could gather - and comment on - some one-sentence character prompts or ideas that may spark something for a new 5e character for other users here. Maybe this could be a fun little thread for this forum?

I'll start:

1. A monstrous humanoid that decides to become a heroic adventurer after a party raided their dungeon and killed their evil master - again!
2. Wide-brimmed hat, leather duster, silver spurs - he aspires to be the quickest spellslinger in the West

[Expired]

There's a similar thread here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610859-Are-You-Bored-In-Quarantine), but this was one of my characters I had shared:

Race
VHuman

Class and levels
Battle Master Fighter 0-20

Ability Scores
Str-Dex-Con-Int-Wis-Cha
15(16)-14-15(16)-8-10-8

With Gauntlets of Ogre Power/Belt of Giant's Strength
8-13(14)-15(16)-8-15-12

Feats
Polearm Master (Lv.1), Sentinel (Lv.4), Great Weapon Master, Mobile, Resilient: Wisdom, Tough, Lucky

Backstory
He was a footsoldier in the nation's army. The ruler was militant and desired to unify the world under his rule and believed in taking any means to this end, including strategies that can be considered immoral and unethical (such as scorched earth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorched_earth)). As a loyal soldier to his nation and to his sovereign, he followed orders without complaint. These included invading the opposing nation's land and raising everything to the ground and slaughtering anyone and everyone. Over time, he began having difficulty sleeping and would drink more and more. With a heavy conscience, he continued his duties and joined in the next battle, but this one was different—there were no soldiers; only poorly armed youth forming what could barely be called a militia. He hesitated while his brethren charged the village easily besting the opposing forces. A young boy, in armor that did not fit him properly, shouted a war cry from his right and ran at him, weapon brandished. Out of sheer instinct and muscle memory from years of practice and experience in battle, the soldier deflected the small blade with his Glaive/Halberd, breaking the blade in the process, and ran the boy through with the sharp edge. In horror, he drops the haft of the polearm, drops to his knees, and cradles his head in his hands, weeping. A young woman and girl run out from one of the nearby houses towards the slain boy, presumably their brother. Not able to look at them for what he had done, he picks up the broken blade, uses it to cut his tabard, and turns around and runs. He is now a deserter—a coward that will be hunted down and killed on sight. He has become addicted to drink, and other pleasures, in an attempt to forget. Sleeping on the streets in tarnished armor with dirty and unkempt hair. He now wanders the land, searching for himself and attempting to atone for his actions.

I played him as an alcoholic with PTSD. Make sure to keep the broken blade (from the Soldier background) for the DM to use later. My DM made my background come full circle and I was able to confront the king and punish him for the lives of those he ruined, including the soldiers like himself that were just following orders.

Background
Deserter (Use Soldier for the background characteristics and Outlander for the Wanderer feature)

Personality
Personality Trait: I'm haunted by memories of war. I can't get the images of violence out of my mind.
Personality Trait: I'm full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation.
Ideal: Independence. When people follow orders blindly, they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic)
Bonds: A terrible guilt consumes me. I hope that I can find redemption through my actions
Flaws: I have a weakness for the vices of the city, especially hard drink.

[Man_Over_Game]

Hi everyone

I love creating D&D characters but due to the current situation I feel somehow less creative or inspired.

Therefore, I thought maybe we could gather - and comment on - some one-sentence character prompts or ideas that may spark something for a new 5e character for other users here. Maybe this could be a fun little thread for this forum?

I'll start:

1. A monstrous humanoid that decides to become a heroic adventurer after a party raided their dungeon and killed their evil master - again!
2. Wide-brimmed hat, leather duster, silver spurs - he aspires to be the quickest spellslinger in the West


A clone develops sentience and a new personality due to an anomaly, but feels a constant draw to his original.
You swapped bodies to get out of a wizard's jail, but you quickly realized you preferred your original body and have been searching for it ever since.
You're on the search for your lost party after a botched Plane Shift spell scattered them to the corners of the cosmos.
Your mentor afflicted evil upon you to absolve you of your heinous instincts, and now you seek to redeem others deserving of your education.