Character Creation - Revision history

imported>Administrator: 3 revisions imported

2023-06-20T15:05:56Z

3 revisions imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:05, 20 June 2023
(No difference)

imported>Administrator: 1 revision imported

2023-06-18T21:51:28Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 21:51, 18 June 2023
(No difference)

1d4chan>LogicalDash at 15:41, 8 August 2009

2009-08-08T15:41:29Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:41, 8 August 2009
Line 6:		Line 6:
	RPGs must regulate what a character can do in any given situation, so they have to specify the character's abilities in a way that's helpful in determining what they can do. Often this takes the form of ability scores: numerical ratings that quantify how good a character is at certain types of action. The game will use these in some (hopefully simple) mathematical formulas during play to determine what number you have to roll to succeed, or if it's a diceless game maybe you'll just compare numbers.		RPGs must regulate what a character can do in any given situation, so they have to specify the character's abilities in a way that's helpful in determining what they can do. Often this takes the form of ability scores: numerical ratings that quantify how good a character is at certain types of action. The game will use these in some (hopefully simple) mathematical formulas during play to determine what number you have to roll to succeed, or if it's a diceless game maybe you'll just compare numbers.

	When you're making a character you'll probably care a lot about which of these scores will benefit you the most. Even though many games have ~~stats~~ with similar names and descriptions, the situations where those ~~scores~~ are actually important vary widely. [[Dungeons and Dragons]] players often pay little attention to their character's Charisma score, because there are few situations where Charisma will either save your life or get you better loot, and those are the things that D&D players are mainly concerned with.		When you're making a character you'll probably care a lot about which of these scores will benefit you the most. Even though many games have abilities with similar names and descriptions, the situations where those abilities are actually important vary widely. [[Dungeons and Dragons]] players often pay little attention to their character's Charisma score, because there are few situations where Charisma will either save your life or get you better loot, and those are the things that D&D players are mainly concerned with.

	Where an ability is something that every character has more or less of, a trait is something that your character might not have. A skill is a common kind of trait; skills typically give bonuses to one of your character's ability scores when they're doing something that they're ''skilled'' in, so to speak. Other sorts of traits often give bonuses to scores in other, stranger conditions, but some traits actually change the game's rules somehow. Traits often have scores of their own, but sometimes you either have one or you don't.		Where an ability is something that every character has more or less of, a trait is something that your character might not have. A skill is a common kind of trait; skills typically give bonuses to one of your character's ability scores when they're doing something that they're ''skilled'' in, so to speak. Other sorts of traits often give bonuses to scores in other, stranger conditions, but some traits actually change the game's rules somehow. Traits often have scores of their own, but sometimes you either have one or you don't.

1d4chan>LogicalDash at 15:36, 8 August 2009

2009-08-08T15:36:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:36, 8 August 2009
Line 6:		Line 6:
	RPGs must regulate what a character can do in any given situation, so they have to specify the character's abilities in a way that's helpful in determining what they can do. Often this takes the form of ability scores: numerical ratings that quantify how good a character is at certain types of action. The game will use these in some (hopefully simple) mathematical formulas during play to determine what number you have to roll to succeed, or if it's a diceless game maybe you'll just compare numbers.		RPGs must regulate what a character can do in any given situation, so they have to specify the character's abilities in a way that's helpful in determining what they can do. Often this takes the form of ability scores: numerical ratings that quantify how good a character is at certain types of action. The game will use these in some (hopefully simple) mathematical formulas during play to determine what number you have to roll to succeed, or if it's a diceless game maybe you'll just compare numbers.

	When you're making a character you'll probably care a lot about which of these scores will benefit you the most. Even though many games have stats with similar names and descriptions, the situations where those scores are actually important vary widely. ~~DungeonsAndDragons~~ players often pay little attention to their character's Charisma score, because there are few situations where Charisma will either save your life or get you better loot, and those are the things that D&D players are mainly concerned with.		When you're making a character you'll probably care a lot about which of these scores will benefit you the most. Even though many games have stats with similar names and descriptions, the situations where those scores are actually important vary widely. [[Dungeons and Dragons]] players often pay little attention to their character's Charisma score, because there are few situations where Charisma will either save your life or get you better loot, and those are the things that D&D players are mainly concerned with.

	Where an ability is something that every character has more or less of, a trait is something that your character might not have. A skill is a common kind of trait; skills typically give bonuses to one of your character's ability scores when they're doing something that they're ''skilled'' in, so to speak. Other sorts of traits often give bonuses to scores in other, stranger conditions, but some traits actually change the game's rules somehow. Traits often have scores of their own, but sometimes you either have one or you don't.		Where an ability is something that every character has more or less of, a trait is something that your character might not have. A skill is a common kind of trait; skills typically give bonuses to one of your character's ability scores when they're doing something that they're ''skilled'' in, so to speak. Other sorts of traits often give bonuses to scores in other, stranger conditions, but some traits actually change the game's rules somehow. Traits often have scores of their own, but sometimes you either have one or you don't.

1d4chan>LogicalDash at 15:34, 8 August 2009

2009-08-08T15:34:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:34, 8 August 2009
Line 2:		Line 2:

	==Statistics & Traits==		==Statistics & Traits==
	The process of defining a character's ~~material~~ abilities varies wildly from game to game, and is a key element of the system. Early RPGs often used ~~random generation~~ to produce a character's statistics; the player would then design the character around these ~~pre-existing~~ attributes. Later systems placed more of an emphasis on player choice and deliberate design, frequently in the form of point buy mechanics. ~~In some~~ systems numerical stats ~~are dispensed with favour of keywords~~.		The process of defining a character's abilities varies wildly from game to game, and is a key element of the system.

			RPGs must regulate what a character can do in any given situation, so they have to specify the character's abilities in a way that's helpful in determining what they can do. Often this takes the form of ability scores: numerical ratings that quantify how good a character is at certain types of action. The game will use these in some (hopefully simple) mathematical formulas during play to determine what number you have to roll to succeed, or if it's a diceless game maybe you'll just compare numbers.

			When you're making a character you'll probably care a lot about which of these scores will benefit you the most. Even though many games have stats with similar names and descriptions, the situations where those scores are actually important vary widely. DungeonsAndDragons players often pay little attention to their character's Charisma score, because there are few situations where Charisma will either save your life or get you better loot, and those are the things that D&D players are mainly concerned with.

			Where an ability is something that every character has more or less of, a trait is something that your character might not have. A skill is a common kind of trait; skills typically give bonuses to one of your character's ability scores when they're doing something that they're ''skilled'' in, so to speak. Other sorts of traits often give bonuses to scores in other, stranger conditions, but some traits actually change the game's rules somehow. Traits often have scores of their own, but sometimes you either have one or you don't.

			The various numerical ratings that a character has are collectively referred to as their statistics, or "stats". Ability scores are often called "base stats," since a lot of games use them as a basis for determining a lot of other scores that you'll use more often.

			Early RPGs often used dice rolls to produce a character's statistics; the player would then design the character around these predefined attributes. Later systems placed more of an emphasis on player choice and deliberate design, frequently in the form of point buy mechanics. Some systems use keywords instead of numerical stats.

	==Personality & Background==		==Personality & Background==

1d4chan>AxiomMan: New page: '''Character creation''' (also '''character generation''' or '''character design''') is the process of defining a character for a game. The term usually refers to the creation of [[Player ...

2009-01-16T15:25:39Z

New page: '''Character creation''' (also '''character generation''' or '''character design''') is the process of defining a character for a game. The term usually refers to the creation of [[Player ...

New page

'''Character creation''' (also '''character generation''' or '''character design''') is the process of defining a character for a game. The term usually refers to the creation of [[Player Characters]] by the players.

==Statistics & Traits==
The process of defining a character's material abilities varies wildly from game to game, and is a key element of the system. Early RPGs often used random generation to produce a character's statistics; the player would then design the character around these pre-existing attributes. Later systems placed more of an emphasis on player choice and deliberate design, frequently in the form of point buy mechanics. In some systems numerical stats are dispensed with favour of keywords.

==Personality & Background==
Methods of defining a character's history and personality are less clearly defined. Some games (including the infamous [[FATAL]]) include mechanics for personality traits, while others generate attributes and skills as a result of rolls on a background history table. Even these games only provide general ideas such as 'the character is cantankerous' or 'the characters served in the military', leaving the players to imagine the details.

There are as many ways of coming up with a background and personality as there are gaming groups.

*[[Creating Characters for Character-Driven Games]]
*[[Creating Characters for Plot-Driven Games]]

==Physical Appearance==
Some players commission portraits of their characters or draw a sketch on the sheet, while others are satisfied with a short description.