What if We Got Rid of Character Creation?

[GMMichael]

Ah, character creation: it takes the whole first session, there are too many options, how to multiclass, how to optimize, what should my backstory be, I just died so now I can't play again until I make a new character . . .

Free character creation isn't always easy on GMs either: how do you write a (good) campaign and plot hooks without knowing who are the stars of the show? Or: I was very happy with myself for killing off Fred's annoying-frickin'-bard, but I still have a session to run and he won't stop asking me questions about his starting spell book!

What if we just threw it out? What if your RPG had 10 (20?) characters to choose from, and when a PC dies and there's no replacement, the game's over? Each character has built-in backstory, level progression, a starting kit. Or, the Final Fantasy method: you can be Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Rydia, Edge, Cid, Tellah, Yang, Palom, or Porom.

That would eliminate:

• the character creation session
• characters without relationships or motivations
• chapters on skills, spells, or dare I say...universal combat rules? (You can do what's on your sheet.)
• players without backup characters
• min-maxing, dump stats, dead levels
• "useless" characters
• death cones (because there's a new character at the bottom of the cone, making it a...um...death turnip?)

...but critically:

- some player freedom. The horror!

 

[aco175]

The PHB has the quick start rules for character creation listed in with each class. This seems to make PC creation less than 15 minutes before play begins. There is also starter characters in random sources like the Phandelvar box set or looking at Adventure League (AL) sites. I could see having a supplement where they offer 3-4 PCs built around each class as something many would buy. There is also many that would still want to build the PC themselves. This process is part of bonding with the character and getting into the campaign. They would argue that just picking Bob the fighter out off the printer would just make him like a video game character and allow the player to not care if he dies.

 

[damiller]

I think it could be cool to start a campaign with premade characters, that the players customize through play. That was the thing I really liked about FFG Starwars "Starter sets" (really any starter set). I've just never implemented it. But I think I might for my next campaign. I'll make sure though to advertise it that way.

What I think would be interesting is to run the same pregen characters multiple times. Through a variety of campaigns. Just to see what remains, what changes. I think it could be a cool way to see what each player brings to this character, but the character remains (and starts over every campaign)

This really has caught my imagination.

For example. I just bought the Avatar Legends Starter Set. I like the system, I really don't like character creation - acutally I HATE character creation in almost ANY game. I've never thought of just running the Starter Set. Like advertising my campaign as "the Starter Set". And thats it. And repeat that as many times as I want.

Oooo....I think I want more starter sets now.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Keep Character building; lose the DM.

 

[Kobold Stew]

non-flippant answer:

I understand the value of this approach for one-shots and con games, but as a default? Nah, not for me.

The premise of this thread seems to suggest that the purpose of a game is for the PCs to experience the world the DM presents. It's a premise I don't accept: I see rpgs about creating a shared world, with the players as active contributors to the world. The DM (GM, Referee, Loremaster, whatever) is central and controls much -- so let the players have the PCs. Give them some agency to shape the avatar through which they experience the world.

I love character generation; I love the opportunities it provides; and when I run a game, I love the fact that player choices give me unexpected inputs, beyond what I as a DM was planning.

A shared, collaborative experience is greater than what any indvidiual can come up with, and I don't want to limit player participation in the way they interact with the world (within the rules of the game), unless that is something they are specifically hankering for (and for which quick-start rules, and other shortcuts can exist to help those who don't want to engage in this way.)

 

[damiller]

Keep Character building; lose the DM.

You can already, its called writing a book! Enjoy!

I realized while I had stepped away that when I got back into gaming with the 1st Edition of Star Wars Smugglers of Naboo. This is basically what I did. I've run that adventure like 12 times by now, and I loved to see how each set of players would solve the problems presented. It was always entertaining.

And its what I've done with the Star Trek Starter Set from Modiphius. That adventure i've ran 2-3 times, and turned it into Groundhog day in Space. It was a blast, and it made my role as the GM so much more enjoyable because I could add what I wanted to that base. I kinda felt like a RPG version of Julia Child, with less blood.

Just now I found out that a starter set of Pendragon is coming out in July. I've always wanted to run that game, but honestly I know so little about the world/setting/system it just seemed overwhelming as a GM. But to think that I could run that starter set over and over, and buy nothing else. Its worth the price!!!

 

[Yora]

Sounds like a Dungeons & Dragons problem, and a couple of other games.

But there are plenty of games that have character creation that goes much faster with only a few choices to be made.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

It's been done:

 

[payn]

No thanks. About half my games are saved by involved, intricate, detailed rules. The GM just doesn’t offer enough much of the time on their own to keep my interest. Sounds harsh, but it’s true. The main reason I don’t play 5E is because how simple chargen is.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

My whole purpose to roleplay is to become someone else and enjoy the action. But if I am not connected to the character I cannot become them. For me, personally, chargen is where I make that connection. If it is a handout, I have no connection to the character, and thus to the activities this character is doing. I feel completely disconnected to the character and game.

So I would not play in a game (other than one shots) I would never play a game that doesn't let me play a character I built.