What Do You Pick First

[Shiroiken]

I usually start with either a personality concept or a mechanical concept I want to explore.

For example, for my last character I wanted to check out Shield Master in actual play. Since we were starting at 3rd level, I wanted to be human to start with the feat (in case I died before 4th level... which I did). I thought about the world and what type of character would be focused on using a shield, so I decided to go with a knight. I worked out several options between Fighter and Paladin, and decided to go with Paladin, because it fit my knight concept slightly better. For my background, I eventually went with Noble, setting myself up as the 2nd son of a minor noble in the city. With all of this, I worked out my background, personality traits, flaws, bonds, and goals.

 

[iserith]

I usually choose a stupid name first, then build a character that fits the name.

In my Sunless Citadel game, I had the players do it exactly as the Basic Rules says - race, then class, then roll ability scores - as an experiment. To me, it makes more sense to roll stats, then choose race and class, so I wanted to see what the designers may have been thinking with the particular order they chose. I came to no particular conclusion as to that. All the characters worked out fine by and large.

 

[Jester David]

As my group plays with minis, I often decide on a character based on that. I find a cool mini that fits a role the party needs and then use that for class and race.

 

[Michael LaPointe]

I chose Race, then realized I really meant to chose "I chose them together". Basically, I think of a class that I want to play and then figure out what race will fit it the best. Maybe I should have chosen Class?

 

[Mad_Jack]

My creation process for each and every character starts out differently. Often, like water beading up on glass, it starts in several places at once that eventually flow together.

 

[the Jester]

I roll my stats first, preferably in order, and go from there.

 

[cmad1977]

Depends. It varies based on a lot of things.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I guess technically I choose race first because I always go Variant Human. I like Feats too much; often a Feat helps define a concept. It frustrates me that you otherwise don't get one until 4th level, and then (unless you take one of the 2 or 3 overpowered Feats) you have to give up the statistically superior but boring ASI in order to get it.

So my process is:
1. Start with the concept, like a highly mobile Barbarian or an anti-mage Shadow monk or whatever.
2. Pick the feat that I'm going to start with to support that concept
3. (Play a while)
4. Get to 4th level and agonize over whether to take the Feat I really want, or improve my primary stat (BORING!)

 

[Yaarel]

I go with a concept first and build to the concept. Sometimes the race comes first, other times the class fits first.

Same here, but the concept is not complete until both are decided.

Sorta like figuring out the super power also requires an origin story.

 

[77IM]

I'm middle-class and white, and I don't remember picking either of those things. I guess they were rolled randomly? This combo does seem to be a little bit overpowered, though.