Home » Sports » Dungeons & Dragons » The Person I Am

The Person I Am

© Brandy Ross

We have taken a close look at character creation. We have covered inspiration of physical features and names. What is left to make a character original and interesting? Today we look at how to create a rich background and personality. This can be a basic or complicated process.

The Core Rules cd for second edition includes a feature that allows the user to select a simple one line history for the character. This may be a good solution for those who are churning out multiple NPC’s or hastily tossing together info for a PC.

There are various methods for those who desire to add onto this simple solution or for those who want a more complicated character from the beginning. Books, movies, life and those who we see every day can influence the way we approach the making of a character. You may want to keep a file for each of your pc’s so you can track level progression and personal details like history, background and experiences through gaming. Some people keep a disk with character sheets, and a text file for information. Others choose to use notebooks, folders or binders. It’s very frustrating to sit down to game and stare blankly at a sheet while trying to remember all the little details that make your PC a person in fantasy.

I have an interest in understanding what makes people the way they are. I often read psychology texts and self help books. This actually helps me to understand the personalities of multiple types of real people. I often draw on this to form a realistic personality for my characters.

You may find such things to be boring so you may want to consider historical documentation of real or fictional beings. Often these people lived in a manner that suits the popular fantasy settings. This may help you to see how an individual would react to certain situations.

Who inspires you the most? Perhaps you can examine what makes that person so special to you and incorporate some of the admiral qualities into your character. Don’t forget that a few less than loveable traits can make the character more believable.

I remember watching a fantasy movie as a teen. I was quite impressed with the main male character. When I decided to play AD&D, I had this character in mind as I designed my first ranger. While my ranger was inspired by this movie character, my human ranger has developed a unique personality. I worked with the events that my character experienced through gaming. We

The copyright of the article The Person I Am in Dungeons & Dragons is owned by Brandy Ross. Permission to republish The Person I Am in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.