I need a PC personality.

[jaappleton]

I can come up with builds all day long.

What I can't come up with is a person.

Does anyone have a PC personality concept that's independent of their class and race?

[Unoriginal]

I can come up with builds all day long.

What I can't come up with is a person.

Does anyone have a PC personality concept that's independent of their class and race?

In a way, yes, but I need your help narrowing it down because it's pretty hard to come up with a concept that's independent of *everything*.

Do you have anything you want or like for your character? Or any info on the campaign/setting the character will be in?


Also, just to know, why not start with the class/race/background and then come up with the character?

[jaappleton]

In a way, yes, but I need your help narrowing it down because it's pretty hard to come up with a concept that's independent of *everything*.

Do you have anything you want or like for your character? Or any info on the campaign/setting the character will be in?


Also, just to know, why not start with the class/race/background and then come up with the character?

I find I RP best when instead of being elaborate, I take a personality that I can essentially boil down to a single sentence or two.

Grom the Half Orc Barbarian: "Strong idiot. Wants to kill Gruumsh." I played that PC for two years and loved it.
Gent L'eman the Warforged Bard: "Serial liar, always working some side hustle." Again, played for a year, until eventually all those side hustles and lies caught up with him. >_>
Ruxpin the Moon Druid: "Literally just a bear. Doesn't know anything about 'druid' or 'magic' because they're a bear." Perhaps my silliest PC but I loved playing them.

In this particular instance, I'm actually looking for a concept for a Twilight Cleric PC. Something that I can boil down to two sentences, but also won't get stale after two sessions.

[jojosskul]

So when it comes to this, I find that picking a couple of key personality traits to start and then seeing what comes out during roleplay works well for me.

I determine if my character is an idealist or a pragmatist. I then try to determine what made them that way. Those blocks of questions about your backstory are a tool I use if I become attached to a character after a session or two.

But you were asking for examples, not methods, so here's a couple of recent examples I've come up with independent of race/class:

Loves the arts, to the point of making illegal copies of art so that he can show them to the masses for everyone to enjoy. From this I established that I wanted the character to be a budding artist themselves and gave them painter's tools proficiency. They also value personal expression and freedom. They started the campaign they were in as an idealist. Over the course of the campaign he saw some really horrible things happen to some really good people, so he shifted to being a pragmatist. He would do what was needed to protect the beauty in the world, and help maintain and encourage the idealism he once held in others.

And no this character was NOT a bard.

Another one I had was basically a fantasy version of a grad student who had big ideas after just finishing their thesis and wants to go implement them on the world. This character stayed an idealist throughout their campaign, and was convinced that if he could just convince enough people that his way was better, the world would better.

And no this character was NOT a wizard.

I guess in the end, to help with personality figure out what your character WANTS, and how they plan to achieve it maybe? Character personality creation is a very personal thing, so I don't pretend that my way is the RIGHT way, but it's just the way that works for me.

[Darzil]

My current character (a Ranger Hunter) started off as original UA revised Ranger with Humanoids as the selected foe.

That made me think of Arrow (tv series, as I wasn’t into those comics historically), but rather than being inspired by Arrow I went with Mad Dog. But I was going Elf, so instead went with a long view of wanting to change the power structures and remove corruption and improve the lot of the downtrodden.

So ends up in a place where it is a strong driving force, explains my character’s motivations, and informs his actions. But for others the inspiration is changed enough that few would recognise the source.

So that’s to say, try picking an inspiration, changing the things others would recognise, but leaving it strong and clear for you.

Personally prefer thinking through motivations more than background, as they come into play every session, where a background does not.

[Unoriginal]

I find I RP best when instead of being elaborate, I take a personality that I can essentially boil down to a single sentence or two.

Grom the Half Orc Barbarian: "Strong idiot. Wants to kill Gruumsh." I played that PC for two years and loved it.
Gent L'eman the Warforged Bard: "Serial liar, always working some side hustle." Again, played for a year, until eventually all those side hustles and lies caught up with him. >_>
Ruxpin the Moon Druid: "Literally just a bear. Doesn't know anything about 'druid' or 'magic' because they're a bear." Perhaps my silliest PC but I loved playing them.

In this particular instance, I'm actually looking for a concept for a Twilight Cleric PC. Something that I can boil down to two sentences, but also won't get stale after two sessions.

Janes Tamoxan: Heretical master of ceremony. Wishes to acquire the secrets of the gods' corpses in the Astral.

Barnabas Bossamaros: Bon-vivant alcohol maker, always ready to help those who values the little goods and the simple joys of life.

Captain Cecil St-Jean de Cendres: Retired military man, not particularly happy to have been dragged out of his peaceful days by the whims of an higher power.

"Sinister" Ambel, aka Ambel the Mage: Extremely enthusiastic former apprentice wizard, now enlightened by darkness.

Boidel Hadr: Detective for hired, ready to defend what they think is just despite the consequences. Even after said consequences include them being exiled from their hometown.

Yanken Yall: Once training to become Paladin with the church of a demigod of Strength, now much happier to have found a different path.

[Hal]

The 3.5 DMG has a d100 table of NPC characteristics. You could always roll a few times on the table and see what catches you. Some of these are visual, but they still speak to the personality of the character.

Xanathar's Guide also has a section titled "This is your life" that has tables for helping create character personalities/backstories as well. If you're at a loss for creating the character, this could get you started.

[Laserlight]

One approach is: "I want to protect / serve / impress This Person ( who is important to me because Reason ) by Doing X." You probably want two, maybe three of those.

Example: Luke Skywalker's thing was "I want to impress the Hot Princess (because she's a hot princess) by rescuing her" and "I want to find out about my father (and therefore my own identity) by seeing if this Jedi thing is real."

Another approach is "what is important enough to me that I will risk my life / social standing for it?"
An example might be "proving that Dwarves were actually the original inhabitants of this land"--so you pursue any Dwarven lore you can, stop to read carvings when you should be running away, and get into arguments with elves who claim they were here first.

A bard who wants to rehabilitate the image of necromancers.
My female cleric, who had issues with her mother, was rabid about protecting women and children. In Curse of Strahd, this can get you into a lot of action.

[da newt]

Suitable for a twilight cleric - Batman but with a little Tic so he's completely self-unaware.



I like to start with a purpose - Why do they adventure / what are they trying to accomplish?

Does your cleric believe they are all that stands between the forces of evil/darkness and all that is innocent/good in the world?
Are they motivated to convince others to join their religion / follow their God?
Are they in it for $$$, power, fame, followers?
Are they lonely / scared and have a need to be part of a team to give them comfort and purpose?
Are they paranoid / sure that there is an evil conspiracy to take over the world and enslave everyone?
Are they selfless or selfish?
Do they believe they are the avatar of their God?
Do they seek adventure or wish they could avoid all these deadly encounters and rest?

[KorvinStarmast]

What I can't come up with is a person. Nice job reinforcing the stereotype of {geeks, which we all are a little bit if we play D&D} having no personality. :smalltongue:

Does anyone have a PC personality concept that's independent of their class and race? There is an entire section in Xanathar's guide to help you do this. Hal mentions it. Try a few runs of that and see what you get.

About your cleric ...
I'm actually looking for a concept for a Twilight Cleric PC. Something that I can boil down to two sentences, but also won't get stale after two sessions.
How much money you got, pal? :smallwink: :smallbiggrin:

You need a Twilight Cleric whose schtick has nothing to do with being a cleric, right?

OK: my first run at that even though you give me Zero to work with for the world that you are in :smallannoyed: ...

"I am seeking the perfect gem - a ruby - which is actually the heart of {fiend X from your setting}. No matter what obstacles get in my way, I will hold it in my hand or die trying."

[strake]

Some generic personalities that can be applied to any character build.

Quiet, thoughtful, considering, likes to listen to everyone's ideas and think through the best options carefully.
Loud, obnoxious, prone to just blurting things out, regularly lets their mouth get them in trouble.
Aggressive, instinctive, doesn't like waiting, likes to do things, will start moving on the first idea that comes up.
Hesitant, unsure what they got themselves into, will follow the others and do what they suggest.
Nerdy, is really into [weapons/books/history/plants/whatever] and will always talk about them, look for them, buy them, search for them, use them, etc.
Confident, always going first, thinks they have good ideas, will put themselves in danger because they are sure they'll live through it.

[Aett_Thorn]

In addition to what people have said above, I also like to work in a few personality traits based on skills that my characters are either good or bad in. For instance, for my new campaign, I am playing a Half-Orc Bard who has a low (7) Wis score. Part of my backstory is that she was married to an Orc tender of a holy site that was protected from harm. So with her low Wisdom score, she is not used to having to pay attention to her surroundings or watch out for danger. Hence her low perception score. Meanwhile, her husband would go on and on about things that were important to him. While she mainly tuned him out, she does have a bit of knowledge about Religion and History in her subconscious. However, even she will be surprised when she actually knows these things.

So a character isn't just a series of negative and positive modifiers, but they become more fleshed out BECAUSE of these modifiers.


Other than that, random rolling tables like those in Xanathar's or in Darker Dungeons can actually give you some basics to start with. Might not give you many specifics, but why does your character a hedonist with a memory of extraordinary friendship going out adventuring? It can give you just enough to think it through before coming up with a one- or two-sentence motivation.

[KorvinStarmast]

My second run through, even though you did not give me a background.

Background: Charlatan

Hook:

"I was a compulsive liar who entered the seminary as a way to dodge the bounty hunters. I now only lie for the benefit of someone who needs my help - and if I need to help them by using violence, I'll do that too."


Background: Urban Bounty Hunter, Outlander (Bounty Hunter), or Folk Hero

Van Jellomoldsing

"Calm, observant, and fell handed. Asks questions, then shoots - usually the undead, but when needed ... pretty much any enemy"

[MoiMagnus]

Some suggestions:

(1) "A friend's friend is a friend of mine. A friend's betrayer is a dead man in waiting."
Alternatively for a similar concept: "I know a guy. A friend of the family. He owns me a favour."

(2) "I don't really care about you. But I care about my soul not burning in hell for the eternity."

(3) "They said I would never achieve anything. Peoples in a thousand years will talk about my exploits, mark my words!"

[sayaijin]

In addition to what people have said above, I also like to work in a few personality traits based on skills that my characters are either good or bad in. For instance, for my new campaign, I am playing a Half-Orc Bard who has a low (7) Wis score.

...

So a character isn't just a series of negative and positive modifiers, but they become more fleshed out BECAUSE of these modifiers.


I was looking for this. I have a character with low (7) Cha who has a stutter and prefers to communicate with minor illusion whenever possible.

Your scores dictate who you are just as much as they dictate how good you are.

[KorvinStarmast]

Your scores dictate who you No, they don't. The scores inform who your character is.
See what I just did there?
I made a general statement, just like you did. :smallwink:

Put another way, there are multiple ways to apply ability scores to "who is this character?"
Yours is one way. Mine is another. :smallcool:

[Darthnazrael]

I find art helps me a lot. For example, I was entertaining the idea, the other day, for a bugbear twilight Cleric of all things. Bugbear art is sparse, so I decided to google "goth beauty and the beast" (feel free to do the same). The art that came up, of The Beast through an almost Tim Burton Victorian style, was exactly what I was going for, and helped drive me into a proper concept.

[Devils_Advocate]

Does anyone have a PC personality concept that's independent of their class and race?
Former heir to a noble house who abandoned a life of idle luxury and relentless ennui for a life of THRILLING ADVENTURE. Disturbingly exuberant about risking life and limb. Proudly disowned. Knows that the windmills aren't giants, but does wish that they were.

For maximum comedy, should be paired with a greedy, cowardly former street urchin who just wants to get rich and retire as early as possible.


Honestly, though, while it's interesting to think about, developing a character's personality independent of race and class is pretty restrictive. Those suggest likely backgrounds and life choices, which in turn suggest likely personalities. Or, alternately, you can look for which other characteristics a starting character concept supports. While I wasn't thinking of it at the time, my example works well as an explanation of why an elf would only be 1st level despite being over a hundred years old.

And beyond just what you fill in on your character sheet, there's also the matter of how you intend to play the character. How do you intend to use all of the fancy capabilities provided by your build? E.g., is this someone cautious, or a bold risk-taker? Those are personality traits!

[IsaacsAlterEgo]

I always like to have my character have an built-in conflict in their personality that they are working on.

For example, a naturally selfish, conceited character who normally acts aggressively and impulsively, has for whatever reason (caring about another character, caring about what the group thinks of them, having a religious epiphany, etc) actively made a decision to try and change for the better. It gives a character an arc, it gives you opportunity to roleplay both ways (slipping backward into bad habits to justify an aggressive response in one situation, unexpected mercy as a sign of progress in another) and it usually ends up being memorable as it makes the character a little more 3-dimensional as they are being pulled different ways by their natural impulses and their better judgment.

Not a solution on its own but just something to keep in mind when designing a character's personality!

[togapika]

One tip a long-time good friend gave me is to take a single aspect of your own personality traits and pump that to the max for the character.

[Samayu]

One tip a long-time good friend gave me is to take a single aspect of your own personality traits and pump that to the max for the character.

That's a good one. It should also work with character traits taken from characters or people you see elsewhere. You don't even have to make your character act like the person you took the trait from.

[Temperjoke]

I find I RP best when instead of being elaborate, I take a personality that I can essentially boil down to a single sentence or two.


Hedonistic, night-owl who wants to share the good life with the world.

[Mastikator]

This is from a random NPC generator I created. You can skip the jobs if you want a more murder-hobo-y type character.

Debbra Collin, F - Geodecic Surveyor. A cynical world-weary bully who wants to find peace but what she needs is to grow up and take responsibility.

Lloyd Vaughn, M - Electrical Engineer. Arrogant, collects small animals and has a can-do attitude, wants to start a family but what he really needs is to make peace with his enemies.

Bridget Alvin, F - Aircraft cargo handler. A shallow snob and master orator, wants order but needs to grow up and take responsibility.

Micheal Ollie, M - Cardiovascular Technician. An arrogant hothead and Exquisite dresser who wants to promote altruism and justice but needs to destroy his enemies.

Alton Hassan, M - Cleaner. An aggressive slovenly fast talker who wants to do physical activity but needs to make friends.

Hien Forest, F - Professional Gamer. Lazy, obsessive and love struck, she wants to satisfy her curiosity but needs to gain freedom.

Tess Enoch, F - City planner. Selfish, egomaniac and ruthless. Wants to be accepted and approved by others. Needs to make friends.

Celina Damien, F - Dancer. A passive hillbilly and egomaniac. Wants to know more and satisfy their curiosity, needs to make more money.

Lacy Antoine, M - Animal scientist. An impatient powerhungry sadist who only wants to consume. But needs to gain freedom.

Nicolas Eldon, M - Chiropractor. An unfair village idiot who collects small animals. Wants to find peace and tranquility, needs to make friends.

[Unoriginal]

Hedonistic, night-owl who wants to share the good life with the world.

So Batman if the Bruce Wayne playboy persona was his actual personality?

[KorvinStarmast]

So Batman if the Bruce Wayne playboy persona was his actual personality?
I thought that Night Owl was one of the Watchmen. :smallcool:

[saucerhead]

He is a cleric of a lesser god with a diminishing following, which people most consider a cult or possibly evil, when really it isn't. He uses his powers granted by his god to help his friends/party, but doesn't generally use them for others or even around others if it can be helped. In other words not a proud, bold recruiter for the faith, but not willing to take crap about it either if it can't be avoided. Generally a good person, sometimes finds it easier to say he's a druid that doesn't shape change.:smalltongue:

[the_david]

If you want to play a cleric, shouldn't you base your character around his religion? Well, at least start with that. It's kinda the defining thing for a cleric.

A goal in life would be good too.

[jaappleton]

If you want to play a cleric, shouldn't you base your character around his religion? Well, at least start with that. It's kinda the defining thing for a cleric.

A goal in life would be good too.

I usually love playing entirely into a trope, to where its somewhat over the top and satirical.
Or going entirely against it to the point of absurdity.

So if I were going to play a Cleric and base their personality around their religion, then I'd likely play them pretty much as Evelyn from Dice, Camera, Action! & Acquisitions Inc (She's been in both shows). Whenever someone makes a poor decision, its because they haven't accepted the light of Lathander. If you don't have the answers? Try accepting Lathander in to your life first, He'll show you the way. And if you're just outright evil and there's no good in you at all, well... That's just a shame. But Lathander will send you to where you have to be.

I've also had this idea for an evil Light Domain cleric, where they're so zealous that they think they're good. If they saw a sick person, terminally ill, there was nothing that could be done, then the character would gently put their palms on the side of their face... And cast burning hands. Cleanse everything with flame. Problem is, while I would find such a PC interesting, its also one I'm incredibly uncomfortable playing.

[Unoriginal]

If you want to play a cleric, shouldn't you base your character around his religion? Well, at least start with that. It's kinda the defining thing for a cleric.

A goal in life would be good too.

A Cleric doesn't have to be religious, though.

You're not a Cleric because you believe in a god, you're a Cleric because a god believes in you.

[KorvinStarmast]

You're not a Cleric because you believe in a god, you're a Cleric because a god believes in you. Yeah, that's how I try to explain it to players. (And that's pretty much how the PHB describes them).

[Ogre Mage]

For a Twilight Domain cleric --

A Harriet Tubman type, helping the oppressed run for freedom under the cover of darkness (folk hero background).

[Vegan Squirrel]

I came across this site (https://www.ashami.com/rpg/) a while back, and I've found it a useful tool to get into the mind of a new character. While I didn't read this whole thread, I did read the first few posts. Clearly you're not looking for all of the details you'd get by using this process. Probably just consider part 1, for your purposes.

I really like starting up a personality by defining the Primary Motivator, and then you can glance through the next few categories and see what appeals to you as a possible personality hook. And if nothing does, play with some dice until something clicks.


Example. I saw you mentioned Twilight Domain, so I've glanced at that and see it's about guarding against the horrors of the night and making the dark a comfort. So I'll relate these possibilities to that concept.
Primary Motivator: Order. You're driven by the impulse to control the chaotic terrors of the night and bend them to your control. This might suggest you're rather set in your ways, and don't like to be disturbed.
Emotional Disposition: Anxious. So maybe it's not so much that you're a control freak, but that by quelling dangers and comforting others, you're really comforting your own anxieties. The fact that you're able to exert your will in the world means you don't have to be afraid of chaos.
Outlook: both Optimistic and Pessimistic. When things are going well, you get very hopeful, but setbacks hit you hard and get you pessimistic. You feel things strongly, and find it hard to control your moods. Which brings you back to Order over Anxiety; your drive to change the world is rooted in your need to comfort your own psyche.
Result: It's having a purpose and achieving goals that's really at the crux of this character. While the Twilight is your vocation, you probably could have gone in a different direction just as easily. What you need, deep down, is to matter in the face of the vast world. And this purpose, this mission, gives you that, which keeps you going. Definitely not where I thought I'd end up when I just started pulling from the personality tables, but it's a character with room to grow and change.