Character Building Experiences

<BODY BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#C0C0C0" LINK="#FFFF00" VLINK="#808080"> <TABLE WIDTH="400" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0"> <TR> <TD> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><IMG SRC="../images/mhb1.jpg" ALT="Magic Horizons Title Graphic" ALIGN="BOTTOM" WIDTH="398" HEIGHT="162"></P> <H2>Character Building Experiences</H2> <P>A character in a roleplaying game is the filter through which the game is interpreted. How your character reacts to events in-game will affect how the game goes. Defining WHY your character reacts the way they do is the purpose of this essay.</P> <P>Because there's no definite cut-off date for a Live Action Roleplaying Game, creating a character that's memorable, has deep motivations and reasons for doing what they want to do is important. Anyone can build a sword-swinging slaughterer of Orcs. Playing a sword-swinging slaughterer of Orcs who has a <EM>reason</EM> for wanting to rid the world of the porcine pests is much more entertaining for all concerned.</P> <P>The following are some important tips to keep track of when roleplaying a character, or setting up a character concept.</P> <HR> <DL> <DT><A HREF="#separation" TARGET="Main">You Are Not Your Character</A></DT> <DT><A HREF="#trait" TARGET="Main">Your Character Should Have A Distinguishing Trait</A></DT> <DT><A HREF="#goal" TARGET="Main">Your Character Should Have A Long-Term Goal</A></DT> <DT><A HREF="#history">Your Character Should Have A History</A></DT> <DT><A HREF="#secret">Your Character Should Have A Secret</A></DT> <DT><A HREF="#conclusion" TARGET="Main">Conclusion</A></DT></DL> <HR> <H4><A NAME="separation"></A>You Are Not Your Character</H4> <P>Aside from the bad publicity roleplaying as a hobby gets from people who take their characters too seriously, the simple fact of the matter is that you aren't your character. Your character has different goals and motivations in game than you, as a player, do. You, as a player, should be playing to have fun. What may be happening to your character may be tragic, or bitter, or painful. Please keep your feelings distinct from those of your character.</P> <P>It's actually a lot of fun roleplaying a character going through terrible personal tragedy. Ask most actors who have played Shakespeare and they'll tell you that some of the most enjoyable roles to play are the most tormented -- Lear, upon the final realization of the depth of Cordelia's betrayal. MacBeth, upon the realization that MacDuff is a man not born of woman. Hamlet, declining to kill Claudius in the nave of the church, not out of mercy, but because he doesn't want to send his uncle to Heaven. All of these are characters going through important, and painful, changes in their lives.</P> <P>Entire genres of Live Roleplaying Games have sprung up over the concept of playing characters having to make terrible decisions -- the same can apply to blood and thunder fantasy roleplaying as well.</P> <HR> <P><FONT SIZE="5"><EM>Your character is the filter through which the game is interpreted.</EM></FONT> </P> <HR> <H4><A NAME="trait"></A>Your Character Should Have A Distinguishing Trait</H4> <P>A character's trait should be something that is uniquely, and recognizably, theirs. It can be as simple as a catchphrase <EM>("Holy Moly, Batman!")</EM>, a distinguishing belief <EM>("Purple Things Are The Messengers Of The Gods . . .")</EM>, or a different way of looking at the world <EM>("We're not here to slaughter Orcs wholesale. We're here to civilize them. ")</EM>. Character traits can also manifest themselves in your props, a creative voice, or even in an interesting costume.</P> <P>Caution should be taken when assigning a trait to leave room for other characters. If you decide that your character's defining trait is that he's the absolute best swordsman in the world, you're effectively imposing a ceiling on everyone else in the game. Likewise, basing your character off of the fact that he's the only dwarven armorsmith in town works great, until someone else decides to play a dwarven armorsmith. </P> <H4><A NAME="goal"></A>Your Character Should Have A Long-Term Goal</H4> <P>A character goal is something your character works towards. It doesn't have to be the beginning and endpoint of each day's adventure, but should give your character a framework with which to evaluate the game day's events. Sometimes, you'll be at the crux of having an astonishing success at the game day -- but end up being set back on your long-term goal.</P> <P>Like traits, long term goals can be very simple <EM>("I want to get Jim a Christmas present, but don't have enough money.")</EM> or elaborate <EM>(". . .the same thing we do every night, Pinky! Try To Take Over The World!")</EM>. Your goal needn't even be achievable. It does need to be defined, somewhere in the character creation process, and used to motivate your character.</P> <HR> <P><FONT SIZE="5"><EM>A character's goals can be very simple, or very elaborate. The important thing is that they be defined at some point.</EM></FONT> </P> <HR> <H4><A NAME="history"></A>Your Character Needs A History</H4> <P>What did your character do before adventuring? Where did they grow up? What was their childhood like? What was the defining instant of their life that made them take up the challenge of moving to a new frontier?</P> <P>Your character's history, even if it's never told to anyone else in the game, will add depth and verisimilitude to your play. It also provides you with a deeper well of reactions and motivations to draw from in day to day roleplaying.</P> <H4><A NAME="secret"></A>Your Character Needs a Secret</H4> <P>Every character in the game should have some aspect of their past that they keep secret from other characters. It may be something utterly trivial <EM>("I just can't get over the dreadful insult that the Duke of Posnitch gave me with that smudged spoon at that banquet 17 years ago. . .")</EM> to something they'll go to great lengths to preserve. <EM>("If anyone ever finds out that I'm Spider-Man, they'll start targeting Aunt May")</EM>.</P> <P>Related to your character's secret is the concept of <EM>keeping</EM> it a secret. If your character isn't going to discuss something in-game, you, as a player, shouldn't discuss it out-of-game. It's often the hardest part of roleplaying, keeping a lid on your character's secrets and motivations. After all, they're one of the things that makes the game fun to play, and people are naturally inclined to share things they enjoy.</P> <H4><A NAME="conclusion"></A>Conclusion</H4> <P>By now, you should be getting some ideas for ways to make your character stand out from the throng. Distinct, clearly distinguishable characters make the game enjoyable for you, in playing them, and for the other participants in the game, by playing with them.</P> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0"> <TR> <TD><A><IMG SRC="../images/left_h.jpg" ALT="Left End Of Scroll Bar" WIDTH="32" HEIGHT="116"></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="../info/info_toc.html" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="../images/info_h_n.jpg" ALT="[Logistics]" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" WIDTH="45" HEIGHT="116" NAME="info"></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="../game/game_toc.html" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="../images/game_h_n.jpg" ALT="[Game Info]" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" WIDTH="60" HEIGHT="116" NAME="game"></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="../misc/misc_toc.html" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="../images/misc_h_n.jpg" ALT="[Miscellaneous Information]" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" WIDTH="62" HEIGHT="116" NAME="misc"></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="../faq.html" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="../images/faq_h_n.jpg" ALT="[Frequently Asked Questions]" BORDER="0" WIDTH="58" HEIGHT="116" NAME="faq"></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="../new.html" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="../images/new_h_n.jpg" ALT="[What's New]" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" WIDTH="52" HEIGHT="116" NAME="whatsNew"></A></TD> <TD><A HREF="../index.html" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="../images/home_h_n.jpg" ALT="[Magic Horizons Home Page]" ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0" WIDTH="59" HEIGHT="116" NAME="home"></A></TD> <TD><IMG SRC="../images/right_h.jpg" ALT="Right End Of Scroll Bar" WIDTH="22" HEIGHT="116"></TD></TR></TABLE> <P>Problems with the page? 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