Creating Your Character

Character Setup Walkthrough (D&D Beyond)

Step by step guide for creating and linking your character using D&D Beyond

This guide walks you through setting up your character using D&D Beyond, including installing the app on your phone and associating your character with a campaign. The campaign linked below is an example so you can see what the process looks like. When your actual campaign begins, you will receive the correct join link as part of your onboarding packet.

Step 1: Create or Sign In to a D&D Beyond Account


  • Go to DNDBeyond
  • Click Sign In if you already have an account
  • Or click Create Account if you are new
  • Complete account creation and log in
You must be logged in before creating or joining a character.

Step 2: Download the D&D Beyond App (Recommended)

Using the mobile app makes character management much easier. The Characters are imported at the start of a session and chagnes are exported into DNDBeyond at the end of the session so out of session your character updates will be performed on DNDBeyond

iPhone:
  • Open the App Store
  • Search for D&D Beyond
  • Download and install the app
Android:
  • Open the Google Play Store
  • Search for D&D Beyond
  • Download and install the app

Step 3: Joining character to campaign

At the begining of the campaign I will give you a Link to add your Character to the campaign, the link will look like the below

https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/join/ALongNumber.

Step 4: Create or Add a Character

Once you are in a campaign.
  • Click Create a Character
  • Or select an existing character if you already have one
Follow the guided character builder.
  • Race
  • Class
  • Background
  • Ability scores
  • Equipment
Save your character.

When a character is created or selected while you are inside a campaign, it automatically becomes associated with that campaign.

Step 5: Verify Campaign Association

To confirm your character is linked correctly.
  • Open your character sheet
  • Look for the Campaign section near the top
  • You should see the campaign name listed there

If you do not see a campaign listed, make sure you joined the campaign before creating or selecting the character.

Step 6: Keep Your Character Updated

During play, you will use Foundry VTT on Forge. At the start of each game a module pulls your character from DNDBeyond and imports it into foundry. After the Session I push character changes into DNDBeyond. So in the Game the VTT is the authoritative source for character changes (changes to states, spells, items, exp etc) and outside the game your DNDBeyond character Sheet is the authoritative source. Your Level upi changes will be performed in DNDBeyond.

Step 5: Backstory

Your backstory is a major part of this campaign. You should plan to write a one to two page overview that explains who your character is, where they come from, and why they chose the path that led them to adventuring. A strong backstory provides motivation, emotional depth, and personal stakes. It turns a character from a collection of mechanics into a believable person with goals, fears, relationships, and reasons for the choices they make. This gives the Game Master meaningful material to weave personal story arcs into the campaign and helps the rest of the party understand, connect with, and support your character.

Start by creating your character and choosing the race, class, and core concept you are excited about. From there, you will work directly with me to develop your background using the setting as inspiration. You are not expected to already know the world or its history. I will help guide you, answer questions, and shape ideas so your backstory fits naturally into the setting. If something you want does not already exist in the world, we will create it together.

You are also strongly encouraged to use the campaign Discord to get to know the other players. Talking through character ideas together often leads to stronger and more connected stories. You may choose to coordinate parts of your backstory with one or more other players, such as shared history, overlapping goals, prior relationships, or parallel motivations. I will keep all player backstories in mind as they develop and will actively make suggestions to help tie characters together in ways that feel natural and intentional, strengthening party cohesion from the very beginning.

Backtory Guide


Questions and Answers

The following questions are meant to be used by the player as a springboard to fill out the character’s background as much as possible. Even if there isn’t time for a detailed prelude, players can try to answer as many of these questions as possible, either in writing or as part of a conversation with you and the other players at the table. You can also use them as a good guide for the kinds of details that a prelude should touch on.

DND Character Background Questions


Origins & Early Life

How old is your character, and when/where were they born?
What was your childhood like? What shaped you most as a young person?
Who are your parents and/or family? Do you have siblings? What was your relationship like with them?
What is one memory from your youth that still influences you today?
What was your home town like (culture, dangers, people)?

Personality & Traits

How would you describe your personality in three words?
What are your character’s greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Do you have any quirks, habits, or mannerisms others notice?
What does your character believe about the world—are people essentially good, evil, or something else?
What fears does your character have (phobias, enemies, insecurities)?

Daily Life & Skills

What did your character do before becoming an adventurer (job/calling)?
How did they learn the skills they use now (trainers, mentors, self-taught)?
What items do they always carry and why?
Does your character have any hobbies or interests outside adventuring?

Relationships

Who are the people your character trusts most?
Have they ever loved someone deeply? Who and what happened?
Who do they consider an enemy—and why?
Does your character have any longstanding friendships or rivalries?

World & Adventure

What motivates your character to adventure (wealth, revenge, glory, curiosity, duty)?
What goals do they hope to achieve in the next year? In their lifetime?
What is your character’s moral code? What lines will they not cross?
How do they see themselves fitting into the world’s conflicts or challenges?

Party & Play

How does your character feel about working with others (party, guild, allies)?
What role do they take in a team, aside from combat (leader, strategist, healer, comic relief)?
What does your character expect from their companions?
What would cause your character to leave the group or betray them?

Big Picture

What is your character’s greatest goal or ambition?
What legacy do they want to leave behind?
What is something about your character that no one else knows?

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