Basic PC Motivations

[fba827]

What (in the most basic generic terms) is the driving force that compels your PC to go off and do some dangerous task (like "Slay the Dragon at risk of life and limb?")

So far my list consists of:

* Love (Ex: to rescue the princess)
* Fate/Destiny (Ex: dreams/visions told him to do so)
* Fame (Ex: want to be remembered as the hero who slayed the dragon)
* Fortune (Ex: wants the dragon horde)
* Proving worth (Ex: to prove to someone, some group, or to himself that he can do it, perhaps as a test in order to be able to be of value to that person/group)
* Escape (Ex: he is not seeking the dragon, but going on the dragon quest gets him out of the city and for some reason he needed to leave the city quickly)
* Defense (Ex: he did not seek out the dragon but circumstance brought him there, or brought the dragon to him, and he only fights it in order to not be killed first, or in defense of something he's protecting like the village)
* Duty/Commitment (Ex: he didn't ask for the assignment, but someone wants him to do it and out of loyalty he goes off after the beast)
* Knowledge/Discovery (Ex: not so much after the dragon but for any lore that may be discovered along the way or at the lair or even from the dragon itself)
* Adventure (Ex: was bored and needs the rush of adrenaline)
* Coerced (Ex: Forced by someone else to avoid some sort of penalty against him or his loved ones)
* Tricked (Ex: didn't know what he was getting in to, he just thought he was delivering a pie to an old man in the cave)
* Power (Ex: They learned that by bathing in the blood of this particular dragon, they will gain some personal power benefit like ability to breath fire and ignore fire damage for a month, etc)
* Revenge (Ex: The dragon killed his father, now it must die)

....

Anything to add? Again, keeping it in basic general terms.

This type of list is helpful (to me at least) when stuck on ideas for figuring what motivates a PC...

 

[Dice4Hire]

Boredom Living in a rural village is really not fun. Anything else is better

Laziness Working 24 hours a day does not sit well with folks.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Rebellion: this could be against the gov't (he is a member of a group that is discriminated against, or fighting for the rights of others or against any kind of injustice); this could be against expectations (doesn't want to work in the mines like everyone else); this could be against family (doesn't want to be the 8th generation of cobblers & tanners).

Self-Destruction: for some reason- drugs, thrillseeking, ancient curse, depression or self-loathing, etc.- the PC takes unneccessary risks.

Redemption: The PC or his family has a bad name, and the PC has now decided to take steps to rectify this. The bad rep could be based on criminal or religious practices, being on the wrong side of public opinion, etc., and could range from the minor (simple thievery) to major (traitors & backsliders).

 

[Herobizkit]

Building Stuff: I have a player whose PC's always insist on building some kind of stronghold and amassing followers, which inevitably becomes a permanent addition to the campaign world. It's kinda Fame, kinda Power, but really, it's Building Stuff.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Dexter: The PC likes to kill things. But he doesn't want to get himself hanged as a murderer, so he confines his killin' to underground dwellers and other threats to civilization.

Brad

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

Not sure what exactly to call it, but I've had fun playing characters whose life goal is to mess with other people. Y'know, mess with their heads, set shops on fire to distract the shop keeper and steal their stuff, etc.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Heroism: PC desires to be the classic hero - may combine aspects such as duty, defense, fame, power etc.

Vocation: PC can't see themself as a farmer or a blacksmith or any mundane job. PC is good at busting heads and that's about it.

 

[Snoweel]

Dexter: The PC likes to kill things. But he doesn't want to get himself hanged as a murderer, so he confines his killin' to underground dwellers and other threats to civilization.

Brad

"Dexter"?

I was going to say 'Bloodlust' but it's already been called something else.

Why 'Dexter'?

 

[fba827]

"Dexter"?

I was going to say 'Bloodlust' but it's already been called something else.

Why 'Dexter'?

It's a reference to a TV show and book.

Dexter is the title character of a tv show on the Showtime channel here in the US (and possibly other places). He's a forensic analyst by day and secretly a serial killer by night (or something like that). (I haven't actually seen the show, just know that much based on the commercials and friends talking about it).
The TV show is based of a book series (by the same name, I think).

 

[Snoweel]

Ah ok.

Yeah I believe I've seen it for sale in JB Hi-Fi.