Advice for making characters.

[RangerWickett]

I was just reading an old article online: http://www.rpg.net/oracle/essays/itoolkit3.html

It pointed out the difference between Character and Characterization. Characterization is who your character is, what he looks like, what his mannerisms are. Character is what he does in the story that actually makes him integral to the story. Character is particularly dependent upon having goals and objectives, things that motivate the character to act.

I like that idea. I promise to make sure the next character I make for a game will have goals and objectives. And I'll tell these to the GM. Should make his life easier.

 

[Crothian]

I like that idea. I promise to make sure the next character I make for a game will have goals and objectives. And I'll tell these to the GM. Should make his life easier.

Depends on the DM. Some take character goals and run with them while others are set with their own plots and ignore them. Me, I'd like to hear character goals that are more short term. My current group's goals are extreme long term and while they help its nice to have some smaller goals to accomplish in the mean time.

 

[Thanee]

It's good to have an idea what your character is up to, motivations, why he or she is adventuring, and so on. Doesn't necessarily need to be a fixed objective, though.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Telperion]

[rant]

I also wrote a few pages of character history, which gave a really good characterization to my character. Then I proceeded to explain what the character was going to do in the upcoming campaign.

Well, guess what? Now the GM seems to be fighting me every step of the way. I planned on creating a growing network of agents, and the GM keeps sending us from one town to the next with break-neck speed that hasn't stopped yet. Sure, I get to spread a whole lot of gold around, but since I can't interact with any particular NPC for no more than a few hours the results are questionable at best.

I planned on getting along with the rest of the party, but there's this irritating NPC who seems to have a life mission of bad mouthing and black painting my character. I feel like murdering the bugger.

Then there's the plan of using as little violence as possible and relying on social skills instead. Well, guess what? It's a bit hard when every freeking mercenary, vagabond and thief in the world has suddenly developed an unresistable urge to plunge their knife/sword/axe into my character's back!

[/rant]

 

[J_A_Garlock]

I.

I like that idea. I promise to make sure the next character I make for a game will have goals and objectives. And I'll tell these to the GM. Should make his life easier.

I have to agree with you there. The players in my group all like to play the game this way, for them it's the only way!

 

[Li Shenron]

Well, guess what? Now the GM seems to be fighting me every step of the way. I planned on creating a growing network of agents, and the GM keeps sending us from one town to the next with break-neck speed that hasn't stopped yet. Sure, I get to spread a whole lot of gold around, but since I can't interact with any particular NPC for no more than a few hours the results are questionable at best.

Remember that the DM always have a harder job than yours however. Not only he/she has to handle the whole rest of the world, but also has to try supporting each and every PC.

In case it helps, have you tried telling the DM that your PC is pursuing those goals of him between adventures? Most of gamers don't fully realise that gametime doesn't have to cover all the characters' time, but it's more like the shooting of a movie's scenes. If you can't have the chance for your goals during the scenes, ask the DM to let your PC accomplish that in the off time, even if it's clear that it cannot be the same fun.