Focused/themed or versatile character: what do you prefer playing?

[Li Shenron]

I play mostly arcane spellcasters, and I've noticed that it's been a long time since I last created a spellcaster whose spell selection was as spread as possible, in order to cover the highest number of situations. I used to be pretty careful in spell selection so that each spell would give me something new to do... Instead nowadays I always end up creating spellcasters that have a focus (e.g. mind control, ending up having many overlapping spells) or at least a theme (e.g. selecting any plant-based spells, without bothering about what abilities come out). Maybe the reason of the change was just boredom after ending up with a few very effective wizards/sorcerers but too similar to each other.

What do you prefer playing, between a character that is focused on a certain area of expertise and a character that has instead a large number of completely different options?

If you are somewhere in the middle, which of the two does generally guide your final choice when having to choose a new character ability?

 

[Stormborn]

Typically my chocies of character depend on the campaign as described by the DM, beyond that however it depends on the class. Bards and Rogues are great multitaskers and I do my best to make them Jack-of-All-Trades, so are Wizards (but I have never played a Wizard). When I play other classes I tend to focus on a theme. My favorite spellcasters are Sorcerers and thus playng to a single strenght is often the best way to go.

 

[Mallus]

I prefer to play heavily themed characters in general. Especially when I play casters. I like to do my part for group "niche protection".

In my current homebrew campaign, I enforce niche protection by keeping caster spell lists small and focused (for both PC's and NPC's alike). I've basically divided casters into loosely themed groups, each with limited spell/feat access (in the end they wound up being fairly loose categories), with different strengths and weaknesses.

It's worked well so far. My players seem to like having specialities (every caster is particularly good at something) and they enjoy the "flavor" that it gives the setting.

 

[Graybeard]

I usually start out playing a general character but over time become more of a focused/themed character. Usually something happens in game that gives me an idea for a more focused or themed character. An example is a character I'm playing in an Eberron game. He is a changeling rogue. He started out as a general rogue type but has gone into Master Investigative prestige class due to his search for his brothers murderer.

 

[Crothian]

My current character is a Shifter, so I have a solid theme. But Shifters believe in versatility so he's that as well.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Nearly every one of my PCs has had a specific focus or shtick, even if it is sometimes "focusing" on being a jack-of-all-trades. I like to have a focus on what the character is good at and that focus needs to be sharp as a razor.

That being said, it's important to have some other things the character can do. The combination of strengths, weaknesses (holes in the the character's skill base) and variety of moderate abilities is IMO what makes a character more real and "human" to me.

 

[diaglo]

3d6 in order. i make him up after i see what stat scores i got.