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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Ernie" data-source="post: 4838814" data-attributes="member: 58517">I'm not entirely sure where the process starts, in most cases. I tend to have lots of potential character conceps floating around in my head, so I'm usually capable of coming up with an interesting enough character (at least, IMO) relatively easy. I usually follow these steps:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I see what everyone else is cooking up, both personality-wise and mechanics-wise. I'm usually the last to actually start designing my character, and I like to fill in 'holes' in the group. When I find that hole, I start gathering ideas for characters that would work well in that position.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Once I've got a rough concept in my head (which can be very generic, or very specific, depending on how well I know the system I'm working with), I start working on the mechanics. What classes would fit the concept & the group, and also work to be an effective character once I'm done (e.g. I've never played a pure-classed bard in 3.0 ... it works as a concept, but not very well mechanically)?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Now I add the two together, and start working on specifics, be it spells, feats, combat style, or even race.</li> </ol>Example: I recently played a couple of sessions of the Pathfinder beta (one of my friends who DM's is very reluctant about 4E), and had to make a character. I knew the other characters in the group would be a rogue, a fighter, and a bard, so I started thinking of a support character who still could help out in combat. I looked at the system, and came upon a cleric, which with the right domain picks and such can be a very effective combat character, but mainly heals and supports. Then I studied the gods and the races, and with some brainstorming I came up with a Half-Orc priest of the god of wine, freedom, and bravery, who's half-drunk most of the time, loves taking risks (or rather, doesn't really consider them), and tries to inspire his comrades to bravery with boisterous (bad) singing and bad plans.</blockquote>

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