How do you make characters?

[GreenEarthPFC]

Do you follow a process?

Do you let it flow?

Do you visualize what you want mechanically and then try to make something fluffically that makes sense with that mechanics and then adjust both as needed?

Do you follow a checklist?

Do you like green eggs and ham?

And does your way of doing things work well for you?

[Rhynn]

In Artesia: AKW and a few others (like Sengoku), I let the dice do the creating. The tables are wonderful and produce great backstory with very little input.

In (A)D&D, it's much the same - roll the stats, then see what you qualify for. For NPCs/henchmen, I use the 2E DMG tables to roll two personality traits (major and minor).

In some others (Twilight 2013, Aces & Eights), I pick a basic concept (usually a career) and just work from there.

In D&D 3.X, it's always a very mechanical exercise: choose role, allocate points. I create my PCs on a whim; the last campaign I was a player in was an urban assassin campaign, so I just created a bunch of different assassins (rogue/assassin, psychic warrior, swordsage, etc.) and picked the one that most caught my fancy when my current PC died.

I hardly ever create complex backstories or descriptions. If I can't sum up (the non-mechanical parts of) a PC or a NPC in one paragraph, preferrably 1 or 2 sentences, and definitely under 100 words, I need to tighten it up.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

It really depends on the system I'm playing, because a lot of them have very different methods. However, I almost always start with the rules. I look for an interesting concept that pops out of what I've got, and I go from there. I like to browse through lists of character options until I find one that appeals to me.

(Ergo, lifepath-style chargen like Traveller and Burning Wheel is an utter boon to me. I can start one place, and start exploring the options! Also, *World games, because of how they lay out the how and when of "what your character will do in the game".)

[Zweisteine]

I, for one, tend to come up with a character concept and go from there. Sometimes it's a cool backstory, other times it's a idea for a cool new combat strategy.

I'd write more, but I am being forced off the computer so my brother can read OOTS...

[Strawberries]

I usually start with the setting. I read the setting, come up with a race, sex, personality and a very rough background, and then I think about what class qualifies better for what I want to do. Then I fill the mechanical bits on the sheet (which, for me, it's always the most boring part), then I go back on the fluff and expand on background/contacts/friends/enemies/similar.

There are times when I go "I want to play a....[insert whatever here]", but those are the exceptions, not the rule. Usually, it's the setting that inspires me.

[kardar233]

I rarely play actual game systems these days, my group having gravitated towards free-form at this point.

When I have the time to really create a character, I go the whole hog with them. I start with a basic personality template generally derived from characters and concepts that I like and then refine that, fixing their projected personality in my mind by spending time in-character just reacting to everyday things. I then take the essential parts of that personality, find a song that reflects them and then use that as a mnemonic for that character.

Then, I'll look at the setting that they're in. I'll imagine what kind of circumstances could have produced this character in-setting, figure out what kind of skills they would have learned and hobbies they've picked up and decide what they do to earn, mooch or be served their bread.

Finally, I'll pick a couple of possible scenarios that they might end up in and imagine their reaction.

[dethkruzer]

I usually start out with a very rough concept, pretty much just what I want him/her/it to do, then try to fit that into the setting. Then I start fleshing it out, just enough to give me a framework, sex, rough age, basic background that is setting-compatible, around the frame I start working from a crunch-stand point, taking my time to try and achieve what hopefully aciheves what I want on a mechanical scale. After this I just work on the Fluff, and that is usually the slowest part for me, getting the flesh of actual character around the skeleton composed of numbers.

[Terraoblivion]

I pretty much exclusively focus on what kind of person and story I want. Then I start throwing a million ideas against the wall until one of them sticks enough that I start fleshing them out.

That is usually followed by me jotting down a lot of notes as I work out the personality and background, more the former than the latter usually, before getting to work on the sheet. Then I wrap up by turning the notes into prose and adding a visual description if there wasn't anything noteworthy enough there to put in effort earlier. I don't always follow this pattern for where I go from when I have a concept and I often abandon a concept while I'm working on fleshing it out, but I always start with a fluff concept and an image of how I'd like to play it.

[ArcturusV]

It really depends. I have written articles on it before for various RP sites. So it's a subject I've considered a lot.

But when it comes down to it, I tend to go to a Top to Bottom approach to character creation. I let the dice give me a hook in most cases, and I tend to randomize as many things as possible, like playing Dark Heresy where I end up mostly with Hiver Scum due to the nature of it's tables.

But it goes to the process of creativity. It's a lot easier to create something from a framework, whatever that hook or requirement is, than it is to create something wholecloth from nothing. It's actually why I don't like Point Buy systems, for example. Not just for the artificial Min-Maxing it tends to promote but because it gives me absolutely no hook to base a character off of unless I already have system mastery and know what I want to do (Already have a framework, even if it's something like... I've never played a Wererat Crafter, so lets do it!).

[Raimun]

It depends on what I want to do. There's generally two ways I make a character.

1) Sometimes I have a clear character concept and backstory on my mind and I design the character and pick abilities to follow that concept.

2) Sometimes there's a certain playstyle I want to try out, so I pick the character's abilities first. Then I work backwards and come up with a backstory and personality based on what abilities I have.

It really depends on the system I'm playing, because a lot of them have very different methods. However, I almost always start with the rules. I look for an interesting concept that pops out of what I've got, and I go from there. I like to browse through lists of character options until I find one that appeals to me.

Yeah, that's important too. I also tend to read the book to see what kind of characters can be done with the system I'm playing. This can both limit my creativity or give me a spark of inspiration. I might instantly see a cool knightly order and come up with a character who would join such an organisation... or realize warrior types don't have as many options as I would like.

Also, sometimes I gloss over the minutiae and just pick stuff that doesn't make me completely useless (unless it's really funny). One might ask:
"Why does your character have those three feats? How did he learn them?"

I'd answer:
"He's devoted to hone his swordsmanship skills. It's a natural evolution of the form."

Basically, character's personality can be but isn't necessarily tied to his abilities. Sometimes it's just his job to do it.

[Angel Bob]

I start with the simplest of concepts, basically the character's class and what they do with it. (For example, I might decide "I want to make a 4E elemental pact warlock" and go from there.)

Race is chosen based not on how optimized it is for the class, but rather based on how unique it makes the character. For example, I'd never make a boring old tiefling warlock or dragonborn paladin. I'd try to do something interesting with it, like a hobgoblin warlock, a dwarven rogue, or even a goliath wizard.

At this point, I have a pretty good concept (and mental image) of the character, and as I pick out feats and gear and other such minutiae, the character's story begins to develop in my mind.

[GreenEarthPFC]

To answer my own question: I'm not sure if I use a process. I tried to use the Ten Minute Characters thing, but I don't think I do well with a strict process. I'm trying to force myself into going beyond 'mechanics>character', because I can always make a character, keep it in reserve, and then actually put it to mechanics when I find a system (fluffically or otherwise) that it works in.

I have, indeed, started retasking characters that I can't find a use for so as to get to use them...

[The Dark Fiddler]

Depending on the day, I either come up with mechanics first and make a personality to fit, or come up with a personality and come up with mechanics to fit.

The exception, however, is Dark Heresy, where I almost exclusively randomly roll to get my character.

[Archmage1]

I start with some sort of character concept, such as fey enchanter, then build the mechanics, and then write the fluff.
I think it works, since I have not been rejected from a game since starting to do it that way

[GreenEarthPFC]

The exception, however, is Dark Heresy, where I almost exclusively randomly roll to get my character.

I love those kinds of systems.

[Raimun]

The exception, however, is Dark Heresy, where I almost exclusively randomly roll to get my character.

Is dark heresy character creation really that random? Like Cyberpunk 2020-lifepath? Or even better, lifepath+FADE.

I don't think I would want to play a "lifepath-random" character more than one session. I'm not an actor but total randomness in character creation would be to me the equivalent of the cast of the LotR-trilogy holding a lottery before the shooting to see who plays who:
"Let's see... McKellen: Pippin. Mortensen: Uruk-hai#8. Lee: Frodo. Serkis: Theoden. Astin: Saruman. Bean: Grima. Rhys-Davies: Gandalf. ...".

Fun at first but wouldn't work in the long run.

[Zaydos]

I start with a concept, something that can range from a fantasy archetype to a PrC, or even just a gimmick (werebear that becomes big and does big stuff). Then I go to the rules looking for what is necessary to mechanically represent the concept. Sometimes this is easy (hey they made a Wizard-Druid PrC I can finally play that character which synthesizes arcane and natural magic, having realized that they aren't opposed at all but ultimately spring from the same root), sometimes this is hard (what are the mechanics to represent a fantasy swordsman Clint Eastwood Exalt?), sometimes it's somewhere in the middle (what's the best way to make my werebear bigger? What's the best way to make a chaos mage that has been touched by Lovecraftian horrors from beyond time and space in 3.5?). Then I work on the fluff to fine-tune what kind of character I want to play and what the mechanics say about the character, and if it goes with or against the fluff I want. Then I change mechanics to meet the fluff, and look at the fluff and refine it, and go back to the mechanics and vice versa till I'm happy with them both.

[ArcturusV]

The Dark Heresy creation isn't THAT random. You have something like a 60% chance to get a Hive World character. Which leads to a 70% chance to have a Scum character.

But it provides good hooks. You end up with something like an Assassin from a Feral Deathworld, it's an easy framework to build off of. Or one of my favorites to play was a Cleric Void Born who came from a Space Hulk, and started play with an Insanity Point due to Divination.

[J-H]

Sometimes I have a concept in my head of "I want to try X"... more recently, if I spot an interesting game, I'll roll stats old-school:
str 4d6b3
dex 4d6b3
con 4d6b3
etc.

The dice roll results determine what classes are viable. This is how things used to be done...

[Rhynn]

I don't think I would want to play a "lifepath-random" character more than one session. I'm not an actor but total randomness in character creation would be to me the equivalent of the cast of the LotR-trilogy holding a lottery before the shooting to see who plays who:
"Let's see... McKellen: Pippin. Mortensen: Uruk-hai#8. Lee: Frodo. Serkis: Theoden. Astin: Saruman. Bean: Grima. Rhys-Davies: Gandalf. ...".

What's wrong with lifepath creation?

In our first Artesia: AKW campaign, two of the players settled for rolling up fairly standard characters - one got a bard (which he made into a grifter pretending to be a knight), one got a shaman (which he turned into an archer at first, but then went heavily into the shamanism once he figured out the magic system).

The third player, though? Holy heck. Which very little interpretation of (and no changes to) the rolled results, he had a slightly unbalanced, dangerously ambitious young knight who was the adoptive son of a minor lord displaced when the lord's wife finally bore him a son, who murdered his half-brother to secure his inheritance, and was exiled - which is why he ended up wandering with two no-accounts from foreign parts, and which was why the whole group was at the tournament that started the first adventure.

Random tables and a bit of interpretation will get you very far in RPGs. There's no end of things to turn into hooks.

Also, Cyberpunk 2020 lifepaths (which the A:AKW lifepaths are based on) are just garnishing. You create your character regularly (choose archetype, roll stats or assign points into them, choose skills), then add some superficial detail with the random rolls.

And as a personal note, I don't understand players who can't just jump into playing a character they didn't tailor. It's not like it's hard to make it your own, and the randomness gives you new experiences and is interesting to work with.

I'll roll stats old-school:
str 4d6b3
dex 4d6b3
con 4d6b3
etc.

"Old school" is 3d6 in order.

[Raimun]

What's wrong with lifepath creation?

Like I said, I wouldn't want to play one more than one session. Sure, I might roll something really interesting but it's just as likely I roll a joke character that's not even funny.

There's a chance I would have fun but also a chance I wouldn't have fun with my character.

Anyway, I like to design characters from scratch because it's fun and creative.

[king.com]

Depends, if its a system I know or not.

If I know it:
I figure out what the GM wants as the campaign style.
Figure out what others are playing.
Pick something that fits in with that (mostly based on mood, what I want to try out, sometimes at random).
Pick best set of skills/talents for this concept.

If I dont know it:
Pick my preferred fallback archetypes (talky guy, spell shooting guy)
Pick random skills/talents which sound cool/recommended to me.

Thats about it. Not too complicated.

Like I said, I wouldn't want to play one more than one session. Sure, I might roll something really interesting but it's just as likely I roll a joke character that's not even funny.

There's a chance I would have fun but also a chance I wouldn't have fun with my character.

You know not all life path systems are random and/or result in joke character right? The better ones tend to have general concepts/motivations as your life path steps.

[Rhynn]

Like I said, I wouldn't want to play one more than one session. Sure, I might roll something really interesting but it's just as likely I roll a joke character that's not even funny.

I have yet to see a lifepath system where you can roll a "joke character that's not even funny." Which one is that, exactly?

[Raimun]

You know not all life path systems are random and/or result in joke character right? The better ones tend to have general concepts/motivations as your life path steps.

Let's say I roll roguish character but at the moment, I'd like to play a direct warrior? I have even now character concepts in my head that I'd like to try one day and the one I pick, is the one I'd like to try at the moment.

I might have no inspiration or motivation to play a sneaky character, if all I want to do at the moment is to hold my weapon high and charge in to combat while yelling my war cry.

[king.com]

Let's say I roll roguish character but at the moment, I'd like to play a direct warrior? I have even now character concepts in my head that I'd like to try one day and the one I pick, is the one I'd like to try at the moment.

I might have no inspiration or motivation to play a sneaky character, if all I want to do at the moment is to hold my weapon high and charge in to combat while yelling my war cry.

Again, thats not how a life path system necessarily works.

[Raimun]

Again, thats not how a life path system necessarily works.

The point still stands. I might have no inspiration to play a random character very long.

[king.com]

The point still stands. I might have no inspiration to play a random character very long.

Gah posted before I finished editing so ill move it here.

I seem to constantly mention Rogue Trader when it comes to good character creation (which is true and you should totally go play it) but it just does a good job highlighting what should be done.

You choose to start at the top (starting with a homeworld) working down or the bottom (character class) and work up. The life path chooses things like, motivations, personal hardships, what led you to join a rogue trader crew, significant events. These guide you towards what class fits best but you get an additional free 'jump' to anywhere you want so you can ultimately pick through the path and jump to enter the class you want at the end.

This gives you a guided and controlled direction if you want it but also gives you the opportunity to take any specific background/package/class you want if you feel its something you want to build your character around. The end result is a rounded person with a life story but that still matches what you desired to play originally. This really works well in the Rogue Trader game given its emphasis on the setting.

The ultimate trick to a good lifepath system is to mix a bit of random with a bit of control and you end up with really nice characters.

[Raimun]

Gah posted before I finished editing so ill move it here.

I seem to constantly mention Rogue Trader when it comes to good character creation (which is true and you should totally go play it) but it just does a good job highlighting what should be done.

You choose to start at the top (starting with a homeworld) working down or the bottom (character class) and work up. The life path chooses things like, motivations, personal hardships, what led you to join a rogue trader crew, significant events. These guide you towards what class fits best but you get an additional free 'jump' to anywhere you want so you can ultimately pick through the path and jump to enter the class you want at the end.

This gives you a guided and controlled direction if you want it but also gives you the opportunity to take any specific background/package/class you want if you feel its something you want to build your character around. The end result is a rounded person with a life story but that still matches what you desired to play originally. This really works well in the Rogue Trader game given its emphasis on the setting.

Hmm, I've played Deathwatch but I haven't had the opportunity to play Rogue Trader. It looks interesting, though.

Random character creation could spark my creativity but then again, it's also possible it doesn't... it's random, after all. I can do it for an one shot adventure but not for a longer campaign.

Deathwatch has some elements of this. I didn't roll my space marine's background but the charts did give me an inspiration to come up with a background on my own.

It's just that like the design process and the freedom to make the kind of character I want.

[J-H]

Oh, and if I don't have ideas for a name, I take something from the topic of the campaign or character build and look up something relevant.

My level 1 scholar/psion character for a low-magic generic fantasy world(?) is named Agias, after an obscure seer who predicted the outcome of a Greek battle.

My level 4 warlock who's stuck in gladiator campaign is named Marcus Munus. Marcus is a name associated with the gladiatorial games in Rome, and Munus was a term for the games, or for games done as a memorial or commemoration of something.

[Amaril]

I'm a bit of a weird one with this, I think. At any given time, I tend to have several general character concept ideas floating around in my brain just asking to be put into play, and when I'm making a new character, I just pick the one that feels the most right at the moment and go with it. These concepts aren't usually tied to specific races or classes, but they have combinations of either that suit them best (for example, my favorite one is always male and gravitates toward magic-using classes, and another is usually a female warrior with heavy armor and weapons). However, they're versatile enough that they can be carried over to many different systems and settings.