Character Creation

Yo Veeky Forums, how do you come up with your characters?

blatant ripoff of something real life or in another media

I take inspiration from all sorts of media, and from personal experiences. RPGs, games, movies, books, pictures, family, stories, songs, or even a catchy phrase can get the gears turning. I'll often merge several disparate influences into one, both to round things out and to distill the sources into something less of a rip-off. By then I usually have an 'elevator pitch' for the character's name and/or personality (for names I like mashups of obscure references, distinct sounds and memorability).

From that concept I either design a character I want to roleplay and find a build to match, or vice-versa. These days I try to strike somewhere down the middle. I often start with a skeletal 'gimmick' and expand out.

Generally, I ask myself questions:
>Is this something I've never tried before, or maybe haven't done in a while?
>Is this character fun for the entire table, or just myself?
>Do I think we'll get bored of this concept quickly, or do I feel like there's some life in it?
>If the game has classes, what race/class combo would best draw out the features of this character?
>What does this character bring to the table, whether for roleplay or rollplay?
>How can I marry this overall concept to the setting, and ensure it works in a group environment?

If it doesn't match my (or the GM's) criteria, I don't go back to the drawing board, but I WILL revise areas that don't work until it clicks. Compromises can and should be made.

From there, I like to draw/find a picture that describes the character at-a-glance. Then I'll start thinking about spells/alignment if they apply. I usually keep these ideas prepared, but not written in advance so that I can make last-minute adjustments during chargen.

I like to have a few broad character concepts down the pipeline. That way if a campaign comes up in a setting I'm not too enthused about, at least I can enjoy sharing my character with others.

usually they are all just self inserts of my feels, with a theme related identity/color scheme

Drinking heavily.

typically i just pick a class i havent played in a while, pick some stats, throw it together. then i agonize making a character sheet in illustrator. then i agonize for three days picking a name.

then the night before game day it all comes together and i start thinking way too hard about my characters story and no one ever hears it and then that character dies, or the campaign fizzles out, or whatever.

but i draw out his gloves, his pipe. i spend pages of paper drawing his outfits and his weapons. sometimes i start with a weapon (like my paladin a while back who i wanted to have a switchblade style sword... i never even told anybody that because they would of laughed at me maybe, but that was the start of that character). just tons of mundane details. like teardrops in a puddle.

sometimes i dont come up with a big involved story until after the game has gone on for a few sessions. like until i get a feel for that character and what his deal is.

and then i miss that character a lot.

I stat myself, and then triple everything to bring my character in line with everyone else's.

Look through the rulebooks and come up with a cool build, then tweak it to fit in with the setting/make it fit in with a comprehensive concept if it can be done.

Random flashes of inspiration.

>want to play fantasy rpg
>you can be a dwarf, human, elf, orc, or a mix of those
motivation to play: ruined. How do we fix D&D and Pathfinder, Veeky Forums?

Have you tried not playing D&D?

I find a picture I like and then base everything off of that.

Well I think of a simple concept then branch off of it logically in the setting.

I have made, in D&D worth mentioning...

>A gentleMANLY muscle wizard with a titanic, glorious moustache

A drow necromancer with crippling OCD and socvial anxiety

The personification of That Guy CE Rogues as a joking response to my friend's over the top but annoying LG Paladin

>The peasant black sheep of an epic hero family, an alcoholic mudfarming serf with a magic sword

> The world's friendliest Old Ones cultist

And they all became full characters from well pretty much that.

where the fuck did my > go

i got dubs, does it cancel it out

I tend to start with a direction I haven't gone, ask the party what they want to play, steer it in the new direction. I then brainstorm all options that fit the direction and narrow it down. Then I start building and searching for things. Alot of the time in systems bonuses come along with a little bit of character. From there I take the concept to my image gallary and get art or inperation to make my own art. Lastly I take everything that I made and work backwards coming up with reasons for the characters class, personality, and worldviews!

I decide who I want to play, I leave room for flaws and growth, and then do whatever the game we're playing tells me to do.

I play really simple and cliche concepts like "rebellious princess", "reformed bandit" and "squire eager to prove himself", but I give them interesting personalities and quirks.

Well I go down the check list of qualities I'll hit up some for an example with my new character.
Were they married: If yes, is the wife a two timing bitch planning his death behind his back with her lover or a really good woman who is now dead.

If he was married did he have children: If yes, it's a daughter, if no then no big deal. IF the wife was the two timer then how has she worked to turn her daughter against her father till the daughter can't stand him? If the wife is dead take the defendant flaw because you have a little girl to raise and protect who will be traveling with you.

Why hasn't he committed Suicide yet? When I can answer what he has to live for the character is ready to be fleshed out.

I then just make some cosmetic choices, pick 2 things more that matter to them other than their family and start rolling.

I think about them till I have enough elaborate backstory I can masturbate to them.

It can happen a couple ways
One way it happens is very biotic--I have a character concept/role, then little traits start sticking to them and make a more complete thing over time.
Another is more forced, where I experiment with scenes or circumstances the character endured and what traits they'd develop from them.

A) Ask what the party needs and I'll pick a class based off of that.
B)Use Heroes of Legend PDF to randomize a character backstory and build a character based off of that clusterfuck.
C)Base something off of Warcraft,Dragon Age or a Veeky Forums green text

It's usually B though.

GM tells me his idea for the game and I get an inspiration.