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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zappo" data-source="post: 2791645" data-attributes="member: 633">I don't know what makes something interesting. If I knew, I'd be busy getting very rich by now.I know of a few general principles, though. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Interesting mechanics only stay interesting for a short while, generally between one and three sessions. This covers the vast majority of half-dragon vampire drow initiate of the sevenfold veil characters. You wanted to make a character with DR and spell-like abilities; but after a few combats, that isn't new anymore and you're left with a freak, conceptually identical to all other freaks, with nothing original at all.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Interesting character quirks and shticks can last longer, if used with moderation. If overused, they quickly either get old, or get annoying, or both. This last case, again, covers the vast majority of half-fiend shambling mound blackguards. You wanted to make a character that constantly speaks with his internal organs and has four eyes; but after a couple of adventures that just fades to the background 'cause everyone has got the message already and just wants to get on with the adventure - and you're left with just a freak, again.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Interesting character motivations and backstories can last even longer. But they don't last forever. Especially if the player wrote them just to get extra CP/XP/AP/whateverP at character creation, and then forgot about them, and especially if, while being interesting indeed, they have basically no bearing on the present situation. These last cases cover the innumerable variants of "single child, orphan, grown in the street, no friends". Oh, and the various contrived excuses for the existance of a half-warforged awakened dire ferret assassin/loremaster.</li> </ul>So, if you want an interesting character that stays interesting forever, you should ask yourself: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Would the character stay at least somewhat interesting if it had the same aspect, personality, and background, but the mechanical abilities of a single- or dual-classed human?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Would the character stay at least somewhat interesting if it had the same aspect, personality, and background, except for the handful of odd mannerisms that it uses at least five times per session?</li> </ul>If the answer to either is no, chances are that your character concept is entirely based on something that is doomed to get old quick.After that acid test, you're not clear yet. In order to make a character stay interesting, it has to evolve with time. The game system provides for mechanical advancement automatically, which is good but not enough to keep a character fresh. Relate the challenges the character faces to his own background, and see how they would change his mindset. If your background doesn't relate to any foreseeable challenge, then your background is bloody useless. This is the case of the various amorph single-child-orphan backgrounds, but it is also the case of a multitude of backgrounds that simply relate a chronicle of what happened to a PC without describing his feelings about it.So here I have a list of "don't"s. Well, I did say that I didn't have the magic recipe. But this is my opinion, I hope it helps.</blockquote>

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