How do you build a character?

[Azroth]

Very good advice! And not to high jack, but also offer my own methods since everyone varies.


- Hit the Library and read books, and or watch videos on history and or other philosophical stand points that may be loosely interpreted into a setting and concept that fits. Perhaps even listen to some music to get one in the mood, give ideas and also block out distractions.

- Defer to source books after for cross refences to double check the facts as best as one can.

(The next two bellow can at times reverse in order with me)
- Draw up an outline of a concept with backstory, personality traits that, motives, goals and ambitions to reflect the above research. This includes habits and even sexual orientations that at times don't always reflect my own. And give a what and why with further reasoning.

- Move to class combinations that appeal to the player and or RP concept.

- Refine the back story a bit more to match the persona as needed after double checking everything. Even watch videos on how to do things that may reflect habits and or interests to said characters that one may not have any first hand experiences with.

- once all is done, can commit.

[DM Winter]

Interesting to see other's perspectives!

How I do it, both in the sv and PnP, is I need to find a vibe of the char. Usually by watching shows or playing games I catch a glimpse of something cool and that's the vibe.

Then I look through classes and decide what matches the vibe, is the vibe more healy? naturey? punchy? magicy? When I decide on a class, I try to polish the "vibe" into a character concept.

After that, I need to find a portrait that matches that vibe and concept, and I'm extremely particular with my char portraits, it has to match perfectly or I dont want it (I often edit skin/hair/eye/shape of portraits).

And after that, I decide on the more minute character quirks. Personality, more polished backstory, how they feel about things, how did they get where they are, etc etc. And finally, after all that, I go on nwn2db and find a build that other ppl have made bc I'm sh*t at making them

[metaquad4]

For me, I'll come up with a build that seems fun to play. This ranges from developing a build with a particular niche, to a jack of all trades, etc. I generally try to keep my builds relatively thematic.

Usually I'll start with a single class (or more likely, a PRC). From there I'll say OK, what does this PRC represent, what does it do? Then I'll follow it up with a fun build that fits together thematically. Then I'll create a fleshed out character around that build.

For example, I was recently brainstorming a character. I saw the recent warlock changes + the feytouched class and wanted to make a warlock with feytouched. I thought OK, I could do 20 warlock/10 feytouched. But I don't really like 20 warlock, what else can I add into this. OK, Fey are in tune with nature. Stormsinger is a fairly nature-y class and would mesh nicely. Alright, so I do 6 Warlock/4 Bard/10 Stormsinger/10 Feytouched.

Then, if I wanted to make this a character, I'd figure out the skeleton: Background (I'd try to pick a place that thematically fits, a place where contact with spirits wouldn't be too unusual or unexpected). At-least 1-3 occupations to draw inspiration for RP from (They are a bard, so they love some form of visual/auditory art; maybe they were a servant so they behave a bit more submissively in general; maybe they came here by boat so perhaps they were a ship singer who honed their skills controlling the wind to help their crew).

Once I have that skeleton, I RP for a bit. As I RP, I ease into what their mannerisms might be - I just type however feels right. Once I nail down something cohesive that seems to work for me in game, I write up the bio.

Personally, because of this process - I nearly always end up with both build I enjoy playing, and a character I enjoy RPing. Not always - but the vast majority of the time. Usually if I rush the process or drop out of tune with a character; that is when my enjoyment fades.