Creating An Adventurer

An Introduction to the narrative side of D&D Character Creation

So, you've decided you want to become an intrepid adventurer! Great choice! Adventurers are some of the most exceptional individuals within Cavum, traveling through it's levels and slaying monstrous foes along their quests. They are a cut above the common folk, and they each have an interesting story to tell. Whether that story is told for generations to come, or if they're forgotten as just another wannabe, is up to fate and the skills of the adventure themselves.

Cavum is a wide world (though deep may be a better word), full of many unique peoples, cultures, ecosystems, and monsters. As such, when creating a character this uniqueness should be reflected. Ultimately, the most important thing to remember when creating an adventurer is making sure that they're a character that you find interesting, and that you really want to play.

Coming Up With a Character Concept

Creating a character, especially in a world you're unfamiliar with, isn't easy. Whereas an Author has a solid idea of the world they're creating, and how the characters they make interact with and help define that world, the standard D&D player won't necessarily have this knowledge, especially if they're entering into a new, campaign specific setting. Whilst much of the Articles on this wiki are meant to help you better understand the world of Cavum, not everyone has time to read each and every one of them. Thankfully, your DM is most likely more than to help you in creating your character and better fleshing out their backstories and identities so that they fit well into the world and into the campaign. Make sure to sit down with your DM whilst you're creating your characters so that the two of you can work together to make a truly interesting adventurer.

Character Origins

Every adventurer has to come from somewhere. Nobody is popped into the world as an adventurer, though plenty leave it as one. Every adventurer also has an origin and a reason for adventuring. This origin not only influences their character, but their stats as well.

When thinking about your character's origins there are three main things that you must consider, these being:

Their Species

Their Background and known Languages

Their Class

Each of these factors will be incredibly important during the character creation process, though they are bare minimum for character creation. Writing a short backstory for your character, figuring out their ideals, bonds, and flaws are all important, and will be touched on later in this section. Also note that, depending on what your idea for your character is, you may have ideas for your class before you decide on a species, or vice versa. Rest assured that none of these three options have to be made in a specific order, as long as they are all eventually made.

Choosing a Species

Choosing a characters species is the second most mechanically involved part of creating your characters origin. Aside from your class, your species gives you a bunch of extra features and skills which can directly effect gameplay. Each of these features reflects an element of a character's natural ability, not something that they have learned or picked up as they've adventured. The things determined by your species are as follows:

Creature Type

Size

Speed

Life Span

Any Special Traits

Within the Chasm of Cavum setting, your species may also influence some of your life experiences. For example, High Elves live in a very magical society, and are incredibly focused on magical education at a very young age. As such, If you are playing as a High Elf you will probably have some form of magical education in your past, which will affect your backstory. This special lore information can be found on the species page, along with that species Statblock. As previously mentioned, work with your DM during character creation to figure out the best way to make your character and their backstory fit into not only the world but also the campaign story.

There are a number species to play in The Chasm Of Cavum, each with their own unique features, lore, and Lineages. These species can be found here:

Choosing a Background

Your Background defines what you did before becoming an adventurer. Defining your life before your adventure begins is crucial to making your character feel like they're actually apart of the world, and have stakes in it. Mechanically, your background defines the different ability scores you can increase, the Origin Feat you get, the Skill and Tool proficiencies you recieve, and some equipment that you start out with. Whilst the Backgrounds outlined in the 2024 PHB are very useful guides, please keep in mind that much of what is dictated by them isn't Gospel. If you want to change what ability scores you can increase, or what feat you can get, talk to your DM about adjusting one of the PHB backgrounds or possibly making an entirely new one yourself.

Whilst deciding on your background, also think about your characters backstory. Whilst a member of a certain species might have special lore behind them, a characters background is what really takes those basic fundamental pieces of lore and transforms them into something special. Remember that your character isn't just another cookie cutter member of their class or species, but is a wholly unique and interesting individual. Think about how the Ability Scores you choose to improve affect how your character acts. How did they improve them? Furthermore, why is your character proficient at one skill over another one? Essentially, ask yourself how do these different mechanical aspects effect your character's backstory.

Choosing a Class

Choosing a Class is the most important decision on may make in D&D. Classes affect the most mechanics in the game, but also deeply affect the identity of your character. The Armor-Clad Dwarven Soldier who wants to avenge the death of his twin brother isn't going to be a Wizard, but they might be a Paladin or a Fighter. Choosing a class can be very daunting, even for experienced players, as there are a lot of things to consider. Once again, work with your DM to find the correct class for the character fantasy you want to play. To get you started on your journey, a list of all the classes, followed by a short description of their fantasy and playstyle, is provided below.

Barbarian: Barbarians are fierce warriors whose main class feature is their ability to Rage. When in a Rage state, Barbarians get a variety of different buffs which help them obliterate their enemies. The Barbarian is a great choice for players who love diving headfirst into combat, and for characters who are driven by unrelenting fury. The Barbarian has four subclasses:

The Path of the Berserker: Focuses on maximizing your ability to do violence

The Path of the Wild Heart: Gives your barbarian a magical connection to powerful animal spirits

The Path of the World Tree: Allows your Barbarian to buff themselves and their allies

The Path of the Zealot: Gives your Barbarian a connection to a powerful Deity.

Bard: Bards are known for their inspiring songs, tales, and dances. They harness magical powers through their creative expression, which makes them formidable foes and grand adventurers. The Bard is a great choice for the player who love to roleplay and support their fellow party members using Bardic Inspiration. The Bard has four subclasses:

The College of Dance: Dazzles foes with fancy footwork

The College of Glamour: Charms, frightens, and inspires people through the power of performance

The College of Lore: Demolishes foes with knowledge gained from stories and legends

The College of Valor: Overcomes foes with martial prowess learned from heros past.

Cleric: Clerics are warriors and miracle workers blessed by a divine force which gives them their power. Each Cleric has a deity they worship, and through Channel Divinity they receive a number of powers. Clerics are for players who want to heal their allies in and after combat, and who also want to have a wield divine powers against their foes. The Cleric has four subclasses:

The Life Domain: Uses their powers to heal the wounds of others

The Light Domain: Burns through darkness and those who would wish to spread it

The Trickery Domain: Uses deception and illusion to further their deity's goals

The War Domain: Worships their deity through battle and bloodshed.

Druid: Druids are protectors of natural balance and order, receiving their magical abilities to heal, cast spells, and even transform into wild beasts, through nature and it's power. Druids are for players who want to shapeshift into animal forms using Wild Shape, and harness the power of nature to defeat that which threatens its balance. The Druid has four subclasses:

The Circle of the Land: Receives powers from the lands they protect

The Circle of The Moon: Channels lunar energy to empower their Wild Shape

The Circle of The Sea: Harnesses the tempest of the waves to ward of enemies

The Circle of The Stars: Uses knowledge hidden in constellations to empower themselves and control the fates of others.

Fighter: Fighters are masters of combat, using their martial mastery to best even the strongest of foes. They gain the ability to do multiple actions each turn through Action Surge, and can help themselves out of a tough situation using Second Wind. The Fighter has four subclasses:

The Battle Master: Gains access to combat Maneuvers, powerful abilities which further enhance your Fighters martial prowess

The Champion: Deals massive damage through more critical hits

The Eldritch Knight: Allows your Fighter to cast spells and wield magic weapons

The Psi Warrior: Uses psionic abilities to empower and protect themselves whilst destroying their enemies.

Monk: Monks are dangerous combatants who spend years training themselves to channel their inner power. They are strong but quick but controlled, using Focus Points to power special abilities. As masters of martial arts, Monks are perfect for players who want to be fast on their feet and drown their enemies in a flurry of blows. The Monk has four subclasses:

The Warrior of Mercy: Manipulate the life force of others to heal or harm them

The Warrior of Shadow: Slinks through the darkness and strikes from behind

The Warrior of The Elements: Harnesses elemental powers to crush their enemies

The Warrior of The Open Hand: Topples enemies with their fists alone

Paladin: Paladins are mighty warrior who receive their power from a sworn Oath. Seeking to fight destruction and annihilation, Paladins are both strong fighters and magic wielders, who can both destroy and save life. Paladins are great for players who want to wield awesome power in the face of fearsome foes whilst still supporting their teammates. The Paladin has four subclasses:

The Oath of Devotion: Upholds all that is just and good, and smites all that threatens order

The Oath of Glory: Bolsters themselves and their party in the pursuit of greatness

The Oath of The Ancients: connect with nature to protect life and hope

The Oath of Vengeance: vows to never stop their quest until they've wrought revenge on great evils

Ranger: Rangers are found most commonly in nature, protecting the lands they reside in from unnatural threats. They are expert hunters relying on their martial skills and natural magic to hunt and fell their prey. Rangers are for players who want to stalk their quarry through the wilderness, possibly alongside an animal companion. The Ranger has four subclasses:

The Beast Master: Form an unbreakable bond with a powerful spirit animal

The Fey Wanderer: Harnesses the mystical powers of the Feywild to mesmerize their foes

The Gloom Stalker: Hunts the monsters lurking in the shadows, turning the ambusher into the ambushed

The Hunter: Relentlessly stalks their prey, exploiting their every weakness

Rogue: Rogues are swift and cunning thieves, trickersters, and killers, striking from where you least expect them using their stealth and Sneak Attack. Rogues are perfect for players who love to trick, deceive, and strike swiftly from the shadows. The Rogue has four subclasses:

The Arcane Trickster: Uses spells to enhance their illegal activities

The Assassin: Brings death with expert precision, whether with poison or the tip of a blade

The Soulknife: Uses psionic blades to deal both mental and physical harm to their opponents

The Thief: Is an expert of stealth and burglary, using their tools and skills to steal all they can

Sorcerer: Sorcerers are innately magical, not learning magic through study but harnessing it through raw power. Using the raw magic within themselves, they can bend the effects of spells to their will using Metamagic. Sorcerers are great for players who want to find creative ways to alter the spells they cast. The Sorcerer has four subclasses:

Aberrant Sorcery: Relies on strange alien powers, which imbue the wielder with powerful psychic abilities

Clockwork Sorcery: Harnesses order to uphold the natural laws of the universe

Draconic Sorcery: Channels the powers of Dragons to decimate foes

Wild Magic Sorcery: Releases surges of Chaotic Magic to do... well... a whole bunch of random (but fun!) stuff

Warlock: Warlocks get their magical powers "the easy way": by making an occult pack with a supernatural power. This pact gives them a special Patron, whom they must answer to in exchange for their magical abilities and Eldritch Evocations. Warlocks are great for players who want to have a "devil on their shoulder", and who also want lots of class customizability. The Warlock has four subclasses:

The Archfey Patron: gives their Warlock magical abilities fit for a whimsical and beguiling creature of the feywild

The Celestial Patron: blesses their Warlock with the power of their divine radiance

The Fiend Patron: strikes a deal with their Warlock, an in exchange for their cooperation, gives them devish power

The Great Old One Patron: draws their Warlock into servitude with the promise of eldritch power forgotten to time

Wizard: Wizards are bookworms and scholars, learning magic through hard work, dedication, and study. Whilst they might have to work harder than the other spellcasters, this hard work pays off. A powerful wizard is truly something to be feared. Wizards are for players who love spell-casting and want to focus on doing as much of it as possible. The Wizard has four subclasses:

The Abjurer: has studied defensive magic to protect both themselves and their allies

The Diviner: looks into the future and foretells it's outcome

The Evoker: brings enemies to their knees with empowered attack magic

The Illusionist: deceives foes and bends reality with illusion magic

Note: This campaign is using the 2024 PHB rules for Classes and Subclasses, though porting old classes, class features, and subclasses from older 5e books is possible. Work with your DM to find a way to port these classes into the rules so they're balanced and fun to play.

Character Backstory and Characterization

Now that you have a general character concept and your character origin, it's time to write your characters backstory. This is where your character truly becomes a character. In a backstory the loose connections of ideas and stats come together to form the basis of a compelling adventurer who you'll play as throughout the campaign. This part of the process is largely up to you. Whilst you should work with your DM to make sure that your backstory fits within the world, don't be afraid to let your creativity run wild. There are, however, some tips for writing a good backstory. A list of Do's, Don'ts, and other suggestions has been compiled below.

- DO make your character have a personality. It's very easy to give our characters long winded backstories, but we often forget that these backstories are entirely secondary to the personality of the character. A character with an interesting backstory but a bland personality is much less memorable and fun to play than a character with an uninteresting backstory but an amazing personality.

- DO make your character stronger than the average person (they are an adventurer after all), but DON'T make them so powerful that it doesn't make sense why they're only a level 1 adventurer. A level 1 adventurer should not be a legendary hero, whose fought and slain dragons in their past. A small town hero whose defeated a goblin or two is much more reasonable. The point of D&D is to go on the adventurer to becoming a legendary hero. It defeats the point of the journey if your character starts at the end, or even the midpoint.

- DON'T make your character a loner, with no connections, no friends, etc etc. Whilst this might seem like an interesting vibe on the surface, most often this type of character isn't fun to play and can cause issues at the table as well. Your character is more interesting if they have connections outside of just themselves. Give your character family members, siblings, and friends. These connections should not only matter to your character, but they might also come up in the campaign. Seeing an element of your backstory be put to use is worth the time spent creating that element in the first place.

- Furthermore, DON'T make your character have "antisocial" traits, or otherwise traits that would possibly make the game less enjoyable for those at the table. Uncontrollable murder hobos and cocky rouges who start fights with every NPC aren't fun to play with around the table. If you feel that these traits are absolutely essential to your character, please speak with your group before you decide on playing as that character. The same is true for those who want to play an Evil-aligned character in a good-aligned party, or vice versa. If you can imagine there possibly being issues at the game table due to your character's actions, ask your fellow players if they're okay with you playing such a character, and ultimately if the answer is no, either rework your character or come up with a new one.

- DO give your character a drive, multiple personal values, some goals, and and at least one conflict. Every good character has each of these three things.

Your character's drive is the fundamental aspect of their character that makes them act how they do. A Rouge might steal from the rich because they empathize with the suffering of the less fortunate. Furthermore, They might value justice and equality for all, or they might simply be incredibly jealous of those who have more than them. A drive is like a core value which informs your characters actions, conflicts, and goals. It isn't like a standard goal, which is more about achieving some end. Instead, a drive is more emotional, psychological, or even philosophical. When creating your characters drive, ask yourself WHY they're doing things instead of WHAT they're actually doing.

Whilst a drive is your character's most important value, it is also smart to give your character other values. These don't have to be super robust, however figured 3 to 4 other values that your character holds helps deepen your roleplay and improve your gameplay experience.

The best characters will have their goals informed by their drive and any other core values. If you've done a good job coming up with your core values, and have a good character concept, coming up with goals for your character, and why your character has those goals, should be easy. If you're struggling, think about what you as a player want to achieve in your time at the D&D table, and work to craft your characters goals around your ideal game experience. It's good practice to have multiple goals, however it's a smart idea to have one main goal. This main goal should be the most influenced by your drive, and should be what your character is most interested in achieving. Talk with your DM and figure out how to tie your main goal into the plot of the campaign, as your personal character plot and the plot of the campaign oftentimes won't perfectly align.

The final piece in the preverbal puzzle is conflict. Each character should have at least one important conflict which stems from their backstory. This conflict can be a simple one, like a falling out with a friend or family member, or a more complicated one, like being hunted down by a powerful monarch for betraying the throne. At the bare minimum, a conflict is born out of conflicting interests between two different parties. However, whilst it's not necessary, some of the best story conflicts are between two sides with opposite or opposing drives or values. This, however, is a rule which can easily be broken depending on the tone of your campaign and the personality of your character (a conflict between two people who are incredibly similar can be just as compelling as those who are polar opposites). Your character should have at least one major conflict. Whether you have other more minor conflicts is up to you.

- Whilst it's not necessary, DO think about giving your character an antagonist in their backstory which may be different from the antagonist of the main campaign. Giving your character an antagonist is an awesome way to not only give your character more depth, but it is also possible for your character's antagonist to appear within the campaign.

- Finally, DO think about how you would roleplay your character, and think about giving them a few behavioral quirks. Do they start their sentences in a certain way? Do they have any nervous ticks or common used catch phrases? Think about how they developed these behaviors, and how said behaviors might have affected them in the past.

A Good Character is Never Static

Congratulations! Hopefully by the time you've reached this part of the article, you've fully created your D&D character! Whilst the creation process is over, the slow process of character growth has just begun. Characters, or atleast main characters, should never be static. Every good character is growing and changing in reaction to the events of the stories that unfold around them. Always be thinking of ways for your character to grow, and be open to that character growth. It's ultimately not about the character concept, but instead about the journey. Hopefully this article has given you some useful advice on how to flesh out your character concept, but from here on out your characters journey is up to you.