DM gives you your PC; annoyance or opportunity?

[buzz]

I have this idea for a campaign that begins with the players randomly choosing from an array of PCs created by the DM. The PCs are created in such a way that they're still open-ended as to what classes can be pursued, e.g., just 1-3 racial pargaon levels that define aptitudes, but leave future standard classes taken to the player.

The reasoning for this has to do with the other part of the idea: that the PCs and players have no idea who or where they are. That is, they have no knowledge of the setting, or where they came from, and pretty much have to learn everything about it as they go along. Sort of like the orignal Amber novels; Corwin is definitely a part of the "setting" of Amber, but he has to learn all about it (a handy device for the reader).

My question is, if you were a player in such a campaign--faced with being given a PC you had no hand in generating and which you'd probably be using for the duration of the campaign--would this just be totally annoying, or would you find it an interesting challenge? Would the possibility for discovery and mystery outweigh having the fun of chargen taken away from you?

 

[Crothian]

It could work. It really depends if I as a player trust you as a DM and trust my other players not to ruin it. For instance if you have a player who hates dwarves and ends up with the dwarf character, that might cause problems. I do like that there is a reason and backstory to the premade characters. I'd talk it over with the players before hand just to make sure they are all on board.

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

I wouldn't mind if I went into the game knowing this. I wouldn't want to do it all the time, but as a short term game (i.e., not a years-long campaign) I wouldn't mind it. However, if I was invited to a game and showed up to the first session and was handed a character, that is a different story.

That said:

I've actually played in a game where the DM asked us a series of questions, then handed us 'our' characters - that he had totally created, down to a brief character history, personality profile, and magic items - and a secret mission that was unknown to the rest of the PCs that we were to accomplish.

It was an interesting experiment meant to test our role-playing (and staying in-character) skills.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I think I would become interested in the mystery of the character, I see it as reading a book, you turn the page, learning more about who or what you were. It does not mean you are the same character, something has changed you. I see it as fun.

 

[Luddite]

Put me down for opportunity reveler. But I like to experiment a lot with different games and ideas.

It should like you are handling some of the "random" aspects as well as seeding out a few special abilities among the characters. As long as the growth of the character is in the hands of the player, I don't see too much of a problem.

If I want the fun of character generation, I can easly do so. I have created many characters that have never seen the light of dice and play.

-The Luddite

 

[buzz]

I've actually played in a game where the DM asked us a series of questions, then handed us 'our' characters - that he had totally created, down to a brief character history, personality profile, and magic items - and a secret mission that was unknown to the rest of the PCs that we were to accomplish.

One of the best fantasy campaigns I've ever been in was a Rolemaster (I know, I know...) game in which, after getting a general idea the kind of classes we wanted to play, the GM created our PCs, names* and all. The campaign then started with us in our late teens, and we didn't even get to see our character sheets until a few sessions in. You just had to survive on wits alone at first. It was bloody brilliant. I knew that character better than any one I've ever run.

*I loved this. I mean, really, who gets to pick their own name? I know I didn't get to.

 

[Hjorimir]

I think it is a fine way to go. My namesake (Hjorimir) comes from such a campaign. The first day our DM shows up with a stack of characters to choose from. Only instead of seeing a sheet with stats the only thing we got to look at was a cover sheet.

I selected Hjorimir, the Shepherd. I was hoping for some kind of spell caster and I thought he might be a druid or a cleric. Turned out to be a paladin and I've loved him over the years. In fact, after a long hiatus, we’re just about to resurrect this beloved campaign from the ashes and start anew.

 

[Mercule]

I've actually played in a game where the DM asked us a series of questions, then handed us 'our' characters - that he had totally created, down to a brief character history, personality profile, and magic items - and a secret mission that was unknown to the rest of the PCs that we were to accomplish.

This is actually pretty much SOP (standard operating procedure) for me as a GM when we do a Storyteller game. Actually, even beyond creating the characters, I maintain them, spending XP and everything. All the players typically see during the game is a dossier-style write-up of the character. The system is so simple that it works very well for this. I can easily roll all dice for everyone.

Since I'm really the only person in the group who really enjoys learning new systems, it frees everyone else up for straight-up roleplaying and being "in-character". I've got one player who is very "hands-on" and was against it at first. Turns out, he's become a reassuring voice to new players to my style.

 

[Gundark]

I did something like this years ago. The characters woke up from a coma with no memories. They had to find out why they where being hunted and by who. I held on to the character sheets so they didn't even know what class they were. As they found out things I would give them more and more info stat wise. We had fun, and was one of the more memorable games we played. Having said that there was some things that would have wrecked it.

1. keeping it up for a long time- this was an adventure run over 2-3 sessions. After we finished the players could keep the PC or make a new one.
2. I warned the group ahead of time and explained to them how it would run. They agreed to try it out. Don't spring it on them. let them know that it is something you wanna try out.

 

[fba827]

I'd be game for such a set up... but I am the type of person that likes to explore character development and personality options.