Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 2068296" data-attributes="member: 463">The 3e PHB clearly advocates a bottom-up approach to character creation, with personality tacked on after race, class et al are defined.&nbsp; This can lead to very shallow 'playing piece' characters, fine for dungeon-bash but otherwise lacking.I think as GM one is often better to to take the top-down approach, at least when creating major characters - decide who they are personality-wise, then assign stats to match.&nbsp; So I decide the King's background, personality &amp; motivations, with stats (if needed to interact w PCs) coming last.&nbsp; Bottom-up for NPCs has some value if you use a random generator - eg if Jamis Buck's generator gives your aristocrat CHA 20, it's worth thinking about what such a forceful personality would be like.&nbsp; But too many random NPCs I think creates a sterile feel; usually better to start with personality &amp; work from there.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="S'mon, post: 2068296, member: 463"] The 3e PHB clearly advocates a bottom-up approach to character creation, with personality tacked on after race, class et al are defined. This can lead to very shallow 'playing piece' characters, fine for dungeon-bash but otherwise lacking. I think as GM one is often better to to take the top-down approach, at least when creating major characters - decide who they are personality-wise, then assign stats to match. So I decide the King's background, personality & motivations, with stats (if needed to interact w PCs) coming last. Bottom-up for NPCs has some value if you use a random generator - eg if Jamis Buck's generator gives your aristocrat CHA 20, it's worth thinking about what such a forceful personality would be like. But too many random NPCs I think creates a sterile feel; usually better to start with personality & work from there. [/QUOTE]

Verification