A Comprehensive Character Creation Compendium
I am not sorry for my alliteration
In this guide, you'll find many helpful articles on how to create a character from simple concept ideas all the way through Backstory and more advanced elements. This is meant to offer a framework for people to make great characters for RP but it is not the end all be all of guides. This is a collection of my own thoughts from many years of RP and writing as well as resources from many creators which will all be indicated as they come up. I encourage everyone who reads this to comment and interact in addition to seeking out other sources. One can never have enough information on creating a compelling character or story.
Through this guide, we will follow the creation of twelve distinct characters that are being created first and foremost as NPCs for the guild campaign upcoming but will go through this whole process from start to finish to give a nice working example of how creating different characters can happen. As such this guide will be focused on creating characters within the setting of World of Warcraft's Azeroth in many respects but whenever possible the information will be structured so that it can be used in any game or work of writing.
A huge thanks to the Creative Team of the guild who assisted in creating the basic ideas for the characters listed below:| Character Name | Creative Team Credit |
|---|---|
| Shogra Bonefury | Enyetof Stormstride |
| Neran Bravebeak | Koza Steelheart |
| Mei Rainsong | Venzolo Shadowspark |
| Yuhan Rainbelly | Kanatu Skyrunner |
| Charity Lightsorrow | Korgig |
| Kwin Greasebead | Enyetof Stormstride |
| Ji-Hoon Summercloud | Korgig |
| Estelle Malanois | Beast Trader Iko |
| Wyllion Solarflow | Koza Steelheart |
| Bonedog | Beast Trader Iko |
| Lorena Firefoot | Venzolo Shadowspark |
Learning How YOU Create Characters
Learning how you best create characters and stories is a simple process of trial by error. Some may Rp the character before it is fully fleshed out to 'see who they are' as a person. Others may start out with a look and a class rather than a personality or history. There is no wrong way to create a character and you simply need to try it out. This guide was designed to give you all the details and ideas about a character and the implications of some questions and answers. It is laid out in the most basic steps that come to mind when creating a character as well as the importance of the information when it comes to RP and Story Creation but it is not intended to be the only answer. Experiment and see what you create in the way you best create it!
Some things to Remember:
- No matter what order you create a character be sure to implement as many of the ideas in this guide. This will create a full, deep, and realized character that is complex with a future to look forward to
- Most of this information is for you, not the people you are RPing with. It is the responsibility of the player controlling the character to bring to life all of this detail. Create a document or a webpage with all the information you want and provide a link to it in your In-Game addon so that people can read it but only the most important information should be laid out in your addon so that people can focus on the RP while you have all the information you need to make it an enjoyable experience for both of you.
- Have Fun! This is a game and RP is meant to be fun. While it is important to maintain a sense of reality by sticking to the lore you can have so much creative freedom about your character and their place in the world that feeling stuck into a specific archetype or theme shouldn't happen. Expand your horizons and create.
Step One
- A simple tool for quick character creation
- Choosing the basics like Names
- Simple tips on basic character detail
- Sugestions on coming up with character concepts
Step Two
- A look at the 9 base Character Types
- How to RP these Character Types
- Morphing Character Types to fit your Character
- How to get the most out of other players and character types
Step Three
- Choosing the right Class for your Character
- RPG and Mixed Classes
- Utilizing class abilities and locked appearances
- Looking at Race and Class traditional Pairings
Step Four
- General physical parameters per race
- Tools for RPing out physical attributes such as size
- Quick look at Rping out different ages
- Tips on RPing a different biological sex from your own
Step Five
- Reflecting a character with Transmog
- Rping the use of specific weaponry and armor
- Magical effects on clothing and weapons
- Using Transmog to give context in RP
Step Six
- Developing IC motivations through history
- Developing IC goals
- Using character interactions to progress with IC goals
- Using character motivation to progress other people's character development
Step Seven
- A guide to RPing in-game professions
- Undefined world professions
- Chatacter knowledge and education
- Offering your character's expertise in RP
Step Eight
- How to use Family members and childhood friends effectivly
- Drawing on real life cultural examples of In Game groups
- Breaking the 'I am an adventurer so my parents are dead' trope
- Using Cultural aspects of family to flesh out a character
Step Nine
- Political and Governmental aspects in RP
- An overview of religions on Azeroth
- Social agenda within RP
- Bringing in Law and Governance
Step Ten
- How to come up with a rich history for your character
- Using known historical events in a character's backstory
- Understanding how time moves in RP
- How to give historical background and use it in present RP
Step Eleven
- Tips on using the Wow Unofficial Timeline
- Looking at shifts in culture as time has shifted
- Significance of the greater timeline in RP
- A look at Alternate Time
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