Plot hooks for GMs

I'm about to build a new character. The GM has asked for detailed backstories so that he can integrate our characters and tailor the campaing to us better. What are some good "plot hooks" to put into your backstory for a GM to work with?

Goals, basically. If your character has a goal, and fears, it can be easily tied up to the party one way or other.

Have you tried playing D&D 5e? They actually have a nice little chapter dedicated to helping players create backgrounds, including random tables for inspiration. It covers just about all the basic fantasy staples.

I tend to like characters that hate a particular monster, or otherwise have a reason to enjoy fighting it. It's admittedly a pretty simple motivation, but it's one that GM's have a very easy time using.

Goals, aspirations, a reason to be travelling or otherwise meet the party, have people be a part of your goals in order to create interesting scenarios, villain of the week isn't going to be as fun as that guy you've been searching for for years

This, pretty much. As a DM, goals make it easy to create a more personal game experience for each player. Also, try describing why your player left the comforts of home to adventure (this can easily be tied to them trying to achieve their goals, but they could also be running from someone or something). Some past relationships are good to mention as well, but if you do that then prepare for the DM to use them in the way they see fit (they may end up being an enemy or something).

Man you 5e fags push your game harder than GURPS or DW ones.

I just found that section to be particularly helpful. I'm sorry if you need to take offense to everything.

That section of the rules is something that has existed in several other games and as online tools for a decade. You're better off telling him to use google and to read for inspiration.

But 5e did a good job with it in my opinion.
I'm sorry you're so desperately in need to take offense.

5e fags do push 5e at every fucking chance. It's annoying.
Lots of system have this kind of section, and sometimes it's much better than 5e, lot of time actually.
Take SW EotE with obligations, or burning wheel with beliefs. It's not hard to find as good or better and it's not new

5e did a meh job. Most players don't even use those tables, they just make the character they want.

They're only good if you're running a hyper lethal game and need quick character generation, but there's already software that gives you better results faster.

Specific ones?

>Traveled to Barovia accidently, wound up a Warlock of the Undying with Strahd as my lord and master.

Virt detected. Leave. I abjure you! The Power of Christ compels you!

Wow, you're kind of pathetic. I think I'm done talking with you.

I think it did a fine job, especially when it comes to introducing new players into a game. It's not ideal for experienced players, but even they can get some inspiration from the tables, even if they don't plan on adhering to them strictly or ever bothering to roll on them.

>duuh you're pathetic
I'm not the same guy thin skin, I'm just tired of you always pushing 5e like it's the messiah of rpg

>you disagree with me on 5e, you must be virt!

>virt boogeyman.
kek.

They did a substandard job. Good for introducing/inspiring new players, sure, but still could have been much better than it was.

Are you the two faggots who've been shitposting all morning?

>I disagree with your opinion.
>You must be a shit poster
Why are all 5e kids so frail?

>sees shitposters on Veeky Forums
>assumes it's 5e players
I think you might have a psychosis.

So, yes? You are the guys who've been shitposting all morning.

Just do us all a favor and put on names so we can filter you.

and the 5e fags are multiplying.

do you guys sound of some distress call in an chatroom somewhere?

>stop disagreeing with me!
No, whiny bitch, I've been on tg for less than an hour
Please do us all a favor, and stop being a whiny bitch who can't take criticism.

Lemme just assume you're the faggot in the 5e thread spamming DW? Good. Cleared that up.

>Make thread asking for non-system-specific advice
>get 4 posts of on-topic advice and 15 posts shitstorm about system recommendation.

Calm your shit, Veeky Forums

To expand on this, those goals don't even have to be very complex. Basically anything that would give your character a kick up the arse and out the front door is good. Some ideas:

>Your character is a member of some kind of hierarchy - knightly order, religious group, spy network, whatever - and have been given a mission by a superior that coincides with the goals of the rest of the party
>Your character found a treasure map, or something of the sort, and has set out to find where it leads (possibly roping in the rest of the party with promises to split the loot)
>Your character has been exposed to some kind of mystery (strange lights over the mountains, queer shapes in the woods, inexplicable dream-visions, etc.) and is seeking answers
>Your character was a slave, until the other party-members set them free, and now they're tagging along and getting swept up in the party's goals out of (possibly misplaced) loyalty

You'll want to hash out the details with your GM, so you don't accidentally run roughshod over their setting, but a simple goal can go a long way.

It's an average thread for Veeky Forums, don't worry.

If I played GURPS why would I play/shill DW?

Use your head user, lest it go to waste.

Do you have a hobby? Crippling debt with dependents "back home" is also always a good, flexible plot hook for presenting your character with the opportunity to have moral conflicts ranging from "Do I buy this new armour, or do I get the slightly cheaper one so I can send some money back home?" to "Do I let this guy go in exchange for his stash, or do I bring him to justice?"

Just so long as you don't play it as "Lol, my character will do anything for money including fuck the party over" and instead keep it to times when it's your characters call/the other party members aren't present.

A variation is "Owing a crippling debt to a multinational organization" where your character has to check in at each town and make payments, or risk having conflict with debt collectors/enforcers.

Alternatively you could have a magical lean put against your character so that everyone knows you're indentured to an organization to pay off their debt, and you can work with the GM for a reason why they would have you be working with the party.

Maybe another party member hired you from the holder of your debt and you're bound to follow them and protect them - even at the cost of other party members.

Or you're sold to the party as a whole, and have to try and make them value you as a person so they don't use you as a disposable trap defuser.

That one requires a lot more GM/party integration but it can be worth it if you're not full of 'spergs and are down with roleplaying.

is this small guy holding a fucking lance in reverse-grip

even with fantasy fightan style icant imagine it working in any kind of at least half-believable manner

No, it looks like it's som sort of double-edge lance.

>mfw whole thread is off the rails from first post

Bump for interest. I always want to make characters with plot threads for GMs to take advantage of, but they rarely do.
Meanwhile, my players only ever want to go along with what plots I have planned. It's a little aggravating.

I mean, you could've ignored the fag and moved the fuck on, but you didn't. You're just as annoying as he is, deflecting criticism by moving straight to 'you must be the shitposter.'

Bump

The most common:
>These guys killed my *someone: family, friends, village*
>I just like killing people and getting money for it

THIS JUST RAISES MORE QUESTIONS

why would you make a stabbing weapon into a two-headed one. and use it one handed.
how is this even supposed to look like when used

A lot of people here say to have a goal or aspirations and that's good.

However, you could also make a character that is trying to flee or hide from something. Perhaps your character has a certain affliction that can invite GM-to-Player roleplaying from time to time.

But when your character has a goal, I would personally find it better to actively find a reason to find and stay with the group. Most groups don't see the reason why they should stick together or work as a team. Create a character that needs that group to survive or to get the support it needs to reach that goal.

My current group is just standing in a city, picking their noses and wondering where to go even when asked and prodded multiple times in- and out of game. It's time to shove some 'motivation' in their faces.

If you can't come up with something, get things that can make the GM milk out a narrative. Your character could have a locket with the picture of a woman, a ring with an unreadable text or a man walked up to him/her and says "The Raven will spare you once." and walks away. Your GM can twist and bend that into a narrative. NPCs that tie in to your character like friends, mentors and family can support any type of narrative (though using family death as leverage is something every GM thinks about doing.)

And before doing anything, try Central Casting Heroes of Legend. Rolling on those tables give an interesting background, garanteed.

It's pretty true to GM plot hooks then I suppose.

I have seen a bunch of character questionnaires and my favourite thing out of all of them was making sure your character had at least 2 secrets, one he did know about and one he didn't. So one might be you used to be a criminal or something and another might be your wife isn't actually dead but enslaved in a quarry in a neighboring country. Gives players some extra agency in a story and to my experience had always given me plot hooks.