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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jer" data-source="post: 7933985" data-attributes="member: 19857">Depends on the group and the game.  For the tables with newer players they don't really want to create much in the way of backgrounds because they're learning how to play.  So we mostly they pick some backgrounds, use those traits to figure out "why are you all together and why are you in this adventure" and move forward.My long-term table (where we're currently playing 13th Age but have previously played 3e, 4e and a few other games) we'll have a session zero where folks will decide what kind of character they want to have and we'll figure out what the world is like based on that.  Most of them won't come up with extensive backgrounds, but just enough to motivate "why is your character involved in this group and going on 'adventures'".  And then I'll make some improvised changes to the starting scenario I've picked (something generic enough that any set of motives can be made to work with it - low level site-based adventures without much plot around them are perfect for this).Typically though they'll come up with NPCs and ideas that I will mine for plot hooks for later adventures as well as for the immediate motivation of why they're in that first adventure.  NPCs that they come up with become important motivators for exploring various areas or interacting with other NPCs, or the personal goals that they have for their characters will become major plot threads instead of just one-offs.  I've been able to improvise whole adventures based on bits of character backstory, for example, which is nice when you've got designer's block. ...</blockquote>

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