Character Backgrounds

[Drawmack]

I was wondering how many GMs use a formal character background for their PCs. I have my PCs write up a formal character background, in character, of their life upto the point where we started playing. It must be 2 + levels pages in length. I for a couple of reasons.
a) I know what to expect from characters when we begin play
b) It gets the players into character before we ever sit down at the table.
c) Let them make up their own past and be very familiar with it, while I can then play with that past to work their lives previous to adventuring into the campaign.

What do other GMs do?

 

[alsih2o]

well, to be a real geek and cross my posts, i am thinking of having all the p.c.s in my next campaign use the "prose system" from cmg.

a 1-10 score describes the importance the give to economics, religion, others, self and politics. then add 3 descriptive terms.

given this system i think players could change "X" numbers of points per lvl (if they wished) and possibly change a descriptor every once in a while also.

not as much work for the players, and you still get a firm grip on what is up with them.


edit: cmg= creative mountain games.com

 

[Bagpuss]

I'd have to write in 36pt font to fill three pages of history for a first level character that or use A6 paper.

I don't require anything before starting a game, usually. I will for something like Vampire where "Backgrounds" will require some work via the GM to work into the setting. But half the fun of roleplaying is developing a character in play.

I'd expect players to be able write half a page for a 1st level D&D character, but I don't ask for it.

I sometimes provide sheets with a sort of 20 questions, things they should consider about their character.

But I know I have more fun adlibbing stuff like this when another player asks me about my characters homeland, so my character develops through play.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i've been using a questionnaire lately. between 10 and 15 questions, and i may ask follow-up questions based on the original answers.

 

[ladyofdragons]

Our group uses a 144 question Questionnaire for our characters. While some questions can't really be answered at the beginning of a campaign, we answer what we can, and revisit the questionnaire later on down the line to fill in new information. It's a great help in really thinking about your character. much more so than writing up a little story, because it makes you think about little things that you wouldn't otherwise have thought of.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

does that questionnaire work well for you, ladyofdragons? we tryed one that had 50 questions, and the group thought it took way too long...

 

[Pyske]

I'm quite a bit more flexible. There are two styles that seem pretty common for both GMs and players; on rec.games.frp.advocacy they are known as "Develop at Start" and "Develop in Play". Some people like to have lots of information up front, and play to a specific character idea. Others like to have only the bare basics, and discover their character's personality and backstory through playing them.

I've had a fair amount of success with either approach, as both a player and a GM, so I don't mandate one or the other.

On the other hand, despite the fact that I enjoy writing up character backstories, and am generally a DAS player, I would probably be scared away from your game if you demanded 2+X pages from me up front. Seems a little too much to me.

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[Rel]

At the start of the last campaign I ran, the number of points you got to spend on the point buy was partially determined by the level of detail in your background.

Since then, the other GM's in our group have dropped that method and I will too next time I GM. But the XP system we use rewards you for playing "in character". It is much easier to get that XP if the Player and GM both have a strong idea of the character background and personality.

For example, I'm now playing a Ranger/Cleric of Obad-Hai who grew up as a woodcutter. I mentioned in my background that I have a habit of saying a quick prayer to Obad-Hai every time I take anything from nature (from cutting down a tree to killing a rabbit). When I roleplay this, I get Character XP.

 

[Bagpuss]

Wow, 21 pages of some of the most irrelevant and unimportant questions I have ever seen. I can see that sometimes character development actually gets in the way of actually playing the game, or having a real life.

 

[Crothian]

I like to have players put in as much detail into character background as they want to. If they leave it blank, I will fill in the details for them as I explore different concepts in the game. My current game I've added background and character ability to 3 out of the 4 PCs.