Characters and their sheets

[punkorange]

At what point do you consider your characters to become more than just numbers on the character sheet, or do you?

It has been my experience that the longer you play a character the more real it becomes (as real as a fictional character can be). I've done things that I really didnt want to do with characters before simply because that's how he would have done it.

 

[Crothian]

Fior me, characters are always more then just numbers

 

[Umbran]

If the thing is just numbers on the sheet, I don't play it. Or, more to the point, if I'm about to play and it's just numbers on the sheet, I make stuff up so that it is something more. Making it self-consistent afterwards can be a bit of a bear, but sometimes, you gotta take that risk...

 

[shilsen]

As soon as I create the character and flesh it out in my head. By the time I sit down at the table to run the PC, I've probably got a more or less detailed background, an idea for the character's personality, some idea of what the PC is wearing, etc. All of those things are fleshing the character out beyond the numbers.

 

[sniffles]

If the thing is just numbers on the sheet, I don't play it. Or, more to the point, if I'm about to play and it's just numbers on the sheet, I make stuff up so that it is something more. Making it self-consistent afterwards can be a bit of a bear, but sometimes, you gotta take that risk...

Same here, even for one-shots. I don't think I could treat a character as just numbers on a sheet if I tried.

 

[Talic]

When I build a character, he is just numbers on paper. At least at first. The more I play, the more real he becomes. No matter how much I like the character and how good I have his story and personality thought out, it just doesnt quite come together till it's gone through a session or two and had to react on the spot instead of having reacted in some planned way I took time to think out. You learn more about your character every time you play it.

It's a bit of a defense mechanism too I think, cause I've built a few characters that have only seen a few sessions, only to be left in limbo when the campaign goes no where. Its frustrating when you spend time and effort to build a character you like, only to have it collect dust in a folder hoping to someday be used.

 

[LostSoul]

I read a blog that talked about character and how the character sheet was just a method for you to remember certain aspects of the character. The actual character is in your imagination, and the imagination of the people you play with.

 

[pogre]

As I stated in another thread, PCs in my campaign develop backgrounds, agendas, etc. generally as the campaign progresses and not during the creation phase.

 

[Rel]

It usually takes a while for me to get really invested in the character and there are several components that feed into how soon and how strongly the character "comes to life". First is what the character's "hook" is and how well that translates into gameplay. A proactive hook usually makes them come alive quicker than a passive hook. For example, if I'm playing a "taciturn warrior", it usually takes longer to get attached to the PC than if I'm playing a "jovial and outgoing rogue".

There's also the motivation of the character and how that fits in with the campaign. The game I'm running right now was put forth as a fairly "beer & pretzels" type game anyway. Halfway through there was a TPK and the players made new characters who are essentially a mercenary band. I think this has made them generally less invested in the PC's because they are pursuing their goals just "for the money" rather than for some more lofty ideal. I don't consider this an inherently bad thing on occasion but I'd rather not run all my campaigns this way.

And then there is the "defining moment(s)" that happen in the game. Those times when the PC has a big impact on the events of the game or some huge secret is revealed that bring the character into sharp focus. I think that those, more than anything else, make the PC seem more than just numbers on a sheet of paper. These are the things that have us talking about a PC years later and saying, "Remember that time when (PC Name) did (cool thing)? That totally rocked!"

 

[punkorange]

When I build a character, he is just numbers on paper. At least at first. The more I play, the more real he becomes. No matter how much I like the character and how good I have his story and personality thought out, it just doesnt quite come together till it's gone through a session or two and had to react on the spot instead of having reacted in some planned way I took time to think out. You learn more about your character every time you play it.

It's a bit of a defense mechanism too I think, cause I've built a few characters that have only seen a few sessions, only to be left in limbo when the campaign goes no where. Its frustrating when you spend time and effort to build a character you like, only to have it collect dust in a folder hoping to someday be used.

I would have to say this is my exact experience. I have a character that was a gnome rogue, was in my head going to be a street thug rather than a "thief". Once we starting gaming he has turned more into a drunk. Not something I first envisioned with him, it's just something I found out about him once I played him a bit.

I also seem to have the problem of sticking to very serious roles, but I think that's because I DM 95% of the time, and I'm a serious DM, so when I take a break and play, I think it's just my way of vacationing from the DM's chair. Once I get to play a bit I am going to try and pick up a more serious role.