Character Creation Mini-Game?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Yes, but they totally nerfed it when they removed character death.

 

[Shroomy]

I voted no. I only create characters as I need them. When I read new character options that I like, I may think about character concepts that include them, but I usually don't rush out and create them.

 

[Ahnehnois]

A hundred times yes. Character creation might be the most enjoyable part of the game. It's how beginners learn the system and how experts enjoy it (how many D&D players aren't nurturing a few character concepts in their head at any given time?).

From a DM's perspective, character creation is most of what I do. I stat up a bunch of interesting characters with some ideas for using them, and then build the sessions around them, incorporating as many as I can in as many ways as I can.

So, from a game design standpoint, I expect character creation to be flexible, deep, and logical.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I love Hero and 3.x D&D. Thus, by example, my answer is yes.

I tend to spend as much time away from the game thinking about and working character and where they could develop as I do at the table.

 

[Vael]

Yes. I make up whole parties of PCs that will never see the game table. If I especially like them, I might even try them against a published adventure or encounter.

 

[Umbran]

Yes, but they totally nerfed it when they removed character death.

Well, in 5e, they may well take a cue from other games. In Deadlands, for example, it is entirely possible to create a character who dies before the game begins!

 

[Bobbum Man]

I voted no.

I lost interest in 3rd edition because character creation felt like building a magic deck, and the game seemed to reward chargen decisions more than it did table play.

I would rather see gameplay centered around decisions made during actual gametime than rewarding what's someone jotted down on their character sheet weeks ago.

 

[Greg K]

It depends on what you mean by the "mini game".

If you mean assigning points to build a starting character and, mechanically, best reflect its background, training, interests, etc., then yes.

If you mean players either a) planning out their character character for multiple levels and expecing to be able to follow their build without regard of the setting and in game results; or b) min/maxing/ CharOPs, by powergamers interested in stacking bonuses and/or finding broken combos or , my answer is no.

 

[Sunseeker]

As an optional thing to help people work through the basics of developing a character, I think this would be a neat idea. Given that enough heart was put into it's design, I could even see myself use it.

 

[The Shadow]

I would like it if it were more like an actual game.

Spirit of the Century character creation, now that's a mini-game!