Getting into character

[SailorNash]

Question: When does a character start to feel "real" to you?

I've been gaming on and off for about 20 years now, coming off a long inactive stretch with D&D Next/5e. Played a number of pick-up games and one-shots as of late, and just now getting involved with a fleshed-out campaign or two. Everyone else seems to be taking to their characters, but mine still comes across as "NPC Druid" or "Generic Wizard" and a pile of stats. Having a little trouble getting into character.

For me, sometimes I'll create something based on mechanics ("I want to play a Fighter this time") or sometimes plot ("I want to play a fallen noble" or "pirate captain" or "runaway slave"). Either way, I take time to try and flesh out the rest...mechanics that'll fit the theme, or story elements to give someone more than just a PHB background. Maybe not five pages of backstory for someone who'll get gibbed by rats at Level 1, but something interesting to work with.

Part of this may be that I just need to come up with better characters, and I already scan RP Help threads for ideas. My gaming buddies all seem to like my characters so far, so maybe I'm not too far off. But for me, it always ends up being several sessions before I can really find someone's "voice", their personality or mannerisms or even goals and ideals.

Anyone else struggle with this? How long does it generally take you to find your groove, and is there anything you've found that helps you along the way?

 

[delericho]

Anyone else struggle with this? How long does it generally take you to find your groove, and is there anything you've found that helps you along the way?

I find it helps to pick one or two strong, iconic traits and really highlight those. Your players are unlikely to pick up on your clever nuanced depiction with half a dozen subtle traits, but they're more likely to remember "that guy with the three-coloured beard" or "the guy with the silver hand".

 

[iserith]

My characters tend to be fully realized right out the gate, but I always keep it simple and allow for change which is at the heart of character development. My statement of backstory and personality is evocative and always less than 140 characters (the length of a Tweet) - just enough to give me some direction when improvising, but not enough to paint me into any corners. I then refer every decision I have the character make back to that statement. However, if doing so would not be fun for everyone or wouldn't contribute to an exciting, memorable story, then I choose something else and the character changes (a little or a lot) and develops accordingly.

 

[delericho]

My statement of backstory and personality is evocative and always less than 140 characters (the length of a Tweet)...

That reminds me of something - as DM it is my preference that players don't detail their characters backstories down to every last detail. I wouldn't necessarily say they should stick to a tweet, but ideally they'd give about as much detail as the characters in "Star Trek TNG" have when we first meet them - so we know Worf's a klingon warrior raised by humans, but not the full detail of how that came about, for example.

That way, both I and the player have greater flexibility to introduce more backstory elements as we go - if the PC needs a long-lost sibling in Waterdeep, it's easier to drop that in if we haven't already established she's an only child, for example.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

For me, it’s the voice/speaking pattern I use that really gets me into character. Am I the sinister tiefling rogue – my voice gets deeper and melodic, or the cheerful elven paladin, who calls everyone friend and smiles often, or the oblivious muscular dwarven paladin - I get louder, SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS.

I agree, picking a few strong traits that define them works. A good character can be defined in a sentence, not in a multi-page essay.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I find it helps to discuss what you're going for with the other players and GM. This brings to the forefront traits that you're interested in exploring with your character. This awareness of your intentions gives the others opportunities to playoff your character in ways that highlight those traits. Sometimes that lets them fit into your backstory (a first mate to your pirate captain) or sometimes it lets them roleplay to your character better (acts as the curmudgeonly foil for your lighthearted scamp).

 

[innerdude]

For me, I ask myself these simple questions:

1. Where is my character from, and how does (s)he feel about where (s)he is from?
2. What does (s)he want?

For number 1, it's as simple as picking a spot on the map. It's amazing to me how many players forget this simple step. "Yeah, my character's wicked good with a blade, and wants vengeance!"

"Okay, but where's he from?"

"I dunno, who cares? Maybe they're from Shadowdale."

"Okay, how does he FEEL about Shadowdale?"

"Hmmm.....good question."


For number 2, I come up with 2-3 basic motivations. I don't try and hammer out every little nuance, but I find having a "core" set of things that shape their behavior in play is incredibly valuable.

For example, for my current character, I decided:

• She wants to show and demonstrate to people that they have the power to educate themselves.
• She reacts strongly to perceived use of force to coerce compliance.
• She feels she has a particular "image" to maintain, and will go out of her way to maintain that image---because the maintenance of that image is crucial to meeting the goals driven by the first two.

 

[Nytmare]

What I've been using, and what really helps breathe life into characters for me (regardless of the system) is to take a page from Mouseguard and Burning Wheel and add Beliefs, Instincts, and a Goal to my characters.

For all intents and purposes, a Belief is what your character believes in and is what they will be pressed into action to try to defend or protect. They also frequently look like something you'd see on a motivational poster. I try to have one broad one, one personal one, and one about another character.

An Instinct is how your character responds to a specific situation, usually a conflict. I try to have one related to combat, one related to social situations, and one that's a personality quirk.

A Goal is the most mutable of the three, and could even change several times over the course of a session. These aren't usually so much the endgame "Save the princess/world" kind of goal, but more the "I want to upgrade my Master Sword" or "We need to clear out the Water Temple" kind of short term goal.