Fudge RPG - 20 Questions for Subjective Character Creation

Important! This is an archived mailing list. Subscription information included in any messages is no longer current. Over the years, addresses and websites have changed. Follow offsite links at your own risk.


From: MatthewsonKent

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000 16:24:20 GMT

Subject: 20 Questions for Subjective Character Creation


This is a resource I found on the net at some point.  It's good for fleshing 
out characters period, but it seems especially apt for Subjective Character 
Creation in FUDGE.  It doesn't cover skills and abilities however.

Kent Matthewson
www.greyhawk-codex.com
___________________

20 Questions for Character Creation

Players should try to consider the following questions while creating a
new character in this or any campaign world. The answers that one
comes up with will go a long way into defining the character as a person
that is more than the collective sum of his ability statistics.

After all other parts of character generation are completed, sit down and
answer the questions one at a time, considering their impact on the way
the character will behave and view the world. When you've finished you
will have created a true character, ready for play.

1. Who were the character's parents? Did they raise the character? If
not, why? If not them, who?

2. Did the character have any childhood friends? Any siblings? Where
are they now? Does the character stay in touch with them or have they
become separated? If separated, why?

3. What was childhood like for the character? Calm and peaceful or
turbulent and traumatic?

4. Does the character have any or did the character have any role
models? Describe them.

5. What did the character do before he/she entered the story? Who
trained the character to do what she/he does now? What is the
character's relationship with his teacher(s)?

6. What are the character's moral, ethical and religious beliefs? What
lengths will the character go to defend those beliefs? Who or what taught
those beliefs to the character? Remember that a character's moral and
ethical beliefs, not necessarily his behavior, defines his alignment. What is
his/her alignment?

7. Does the character have any unusual habits or physical traits? What
are they? What do they stem from? How do others tend to react to
them?

8. What is the general reaction to the character by other characters?
Why, in the character's opinion, do they act that way?

9. Can the character kill? When did he decide (or learn) that he could?
Why would the character kill? Does he/she have any enemies at all?
Would or could the character kill them?

10. What kind of relationships does the character currently have? Does
he/she have any close friends? Bitter enemies? If so, who? What are
they like? What is the history of the character and this person's
relationship?

11. Does the character have any mental problems? Phobias? If so, what
are they? What do they stem from?

12. How does the character generally treat others? Does she/he trust
easily? Or not? How does the character relate to people? Is he shy and
withdrawn or outgoing and friendly?

13. What does the character look like? Does he/she have any scars or
tattoos? If so how did she/he get them? Obviously this includes eye and
hair color, but an unusual gait (walking style) or accent comes into play
here as well.

14. What is the character's normal daily routine? How does he/she feel
when it's interrupted for whatever reason?

15. Was the character present during any key events in the history of the
campaign world? How did that event affect the character?

16. Does the character have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? What
did he/she do? What do people assume about the character when
his/her ancestry is known? Does the character actively try to live up to
the reputation, try dispel it or try to ignore it?

17. Where is the character's homeland? What is its history and what are
its people like? Is the character patriotic, or a social outcast? What is his
opinion of home?

18. What are the character's dreams? Ambitions? Goals?

19. How does she/he seek to obtain them? How does adventuring fit
into this dream, or does it at all?

20. Does the character ever want to have a family of his/her own
someday? If so with who or what type of person?

Well done. A character is born! Fill out your notes onto a character
sheet and enjoy playing it.
-- -----------------------------------------------
The Fudge List FAQ is at http://fudge.phoenyx.net/
Subtopics: +df, +convert, +magic, +supers, +biz


Followup

Next in Thread