8 Character Creation Tips (for DnD or just writing in general)
While it may sound like Iâm stating the obvious here, your character needs to have something they want to accomplish. Maybe they want to be the best at something, see a place, fall in love, conquer the world, or something else. Whatever it is, they need to have something that they desire beyond all other things. Ideally, give them more than one goal. Make them have to sacrifice one to achieve the other, to add extra drama
Maybe theyâre the best artist in their class or theyâre great at juggling. Perhaps they slipped on the stairs in front of their whole village. Either way, give something for the locals to remember about them. That way it can give you a starting point for the interactions with other characters
Whether a friend, a coworker, a sibling, an army buddy, or someone they saved, have someone close to your character whom theyâre close to and wish well. Yeah, angsty âI have no friendsâ characters can be fun, but in small doses; eventually the reader gets fed up with them. At the very least the character needs someone to talk to or bounce ideas off of
It may be a neighborhood they grew up in, their parentsâ house, or a room theyâve been renting in a tavern. Hell, it could even be a person if you so choose. Everyone needs to feel secure at one time or another
Now, recognize that this may not work for EVERY character, but itâs up to you to decide what will fit and what wonât. In many cases, it can work. A signature item is something that is recognizably YOUR CHARACTERâS, be it a weapon, a scarf, a toy, or a piece of jewelry. Itâs something that makes them feel like themself
This should be something other than the problem addressed in the main plot line. Maybe a member of their family is sick, they are broke, or theyâre failing their classes. This helps make your character seem more realistic because NO ONE has one problem at a time
This can affect the plot or not; either way, it helps make your character more well rounded. Maybe your character canât read, left their crewmates to die when a kracken attacked their ship, or made their long lost sister run away. If you choose to have it affect the plot in any way, this secret should embarrass your character, make it so that other characters donât trust your character, or somehow endanger them and the people theyâre close to if found out
8. Have a reason to be brave and to fight
Maybe itâs because your character wants to be like their hero, maybe itâs so they can repay a debt (like if someone saved their life previously), maybe itâs for their child, but your character needs to have a reason to occasionally face their fears
prguitarman
gummygunk
turnnoffyourmind
snowghoul
