In my experience, what makes role playing games so fun is the role playing! Yes, high pitched battles are a blast, but can get stale when that’s the meat of the experience. Developing and running a character that, over time, really comes to life makes gaming rewarding because eventually you get to know and care about this creation that is, ultimately, an extension of yourself. And so, this guide was developed for gamers like myself who\u00a0enjoy playing complex characters with a unique personality and background.<\/p>\n
This guide is designed to be modular, meaning you should only use the sections you need when you need them. You certainly don’t need to fill out every item, especially in the beginning when you just want to get your character up and running.<\/p>\n
Let me repeat:\u00a0The Guide does not require that every variable be assigned.\u00a0You can start off with only one or two variables in the beginning and add more as you get to know your character or as questions arise. Of course, you are welcome to start off with a complete personality and background profile; it’s entirely up to you. Either way, I hope you find The Guide useful for enriching your gaming experience.<\/p>\n
When we talk about personality in a gaming context, what we want to know are things like a character’s motivations, emotional states, worldview, and how they behave in various situations. Alignment often doesn’t go far enough in answering these questions. Richness in a campaign often comes in the form of small details, quirky events, and surprising action, all of which are more possible when the characters (including the NPCs) have personality elements that make for non-general play. <\/p>\n
For instance, a rogue can certainly be played to pickpocket everyone indiscriminately, but it is more interesting if she, say, also loves to read and goes out of her way to steal books. It is this kind of insight about what makes a character tick that allows for really fun and engaging adventures.<\/p>\n
The percentages in this Guide are for random profiles, which might be interesting for NPC development. For player characters, gamers are encouraged to pick and choose the traits as they see fit.<\/p>\n
In the broadest sense, the Primary Motivator is the underlying engine of your character’s life. It is the foundational theme of one’s worldview and, at a deep level, is what ultimately drives them to action. While any given act might be tactically pragmatic in service to short-term goals, the PM is there in the background influencing aims and behaviors.<\/p>\n
A single Primary Motivator is entirely sufficient and even if you want more, it is recommended to begin only with one. If you are inspired to have multiple Motivators, I suggest you still choose one that is primary with others that are secondary. This isn’t presented as a rule, it’s just experience\u2014the more PMs you have, the less meaningful they become in your gaming. In general, I’ve found it more interesting and playable to go deeper with one motivator rather than broader with more PMs. <\/p>\n