What questions to ask your players as a DM during character creation

[poppin_fresh]

As a DM/GM what questions do you ask your players about their characters in addition to the standard ones suggested in your rule book?

Since no one is perfect, I ask my players to come up with at least one flaw with their character and think of a way it can be used in game terms. I do that so they don't give me something silly that wouldn't occur in the game.

I also ask them to come up with something that motivates their character and some ideas on how they might like it used in the game.

Do you guys have any good questions you ask your players to think about or give you answers to during character creation?

 

[RedTonic]

I usually make my players fill out a biographical form with information on their appearance, personality (including likes/dislikes and fears), history (I especially like it if they give some family background and friends/rivals/foes), and what their PCs' goals are and what THEIR goals as the players are (in other words, what they would like to have their PCs experience, what they want to try in a game, a projection on the build they want, etc.).

I run RP-heavy games. This approach is not that useful from a cost-benefit approach if you play an RP-light game, since it does consume time.

 

[Rel]

"Before setting forth on a life of adventure, how did you earn a living?"

"What leisure activities do you enjoy?"

 

[WHW4]

I just ask them what they WANT to play. I don't really like to shoot down whatever they're into that week.

One stipulation: If I'm running a campaign and you know it features a large number dragons, please don't bring the Ultimate Dragonhunter. I don't mind a couple dragon-type feats/abilities, but no Dragonbane Bow of Death and Dragon Dismemberment +5 please. I don't build monsters to specifically hose you, thank you for doing the same. You fight a few dragons and decide to try and buy something like that? We're good then.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I want to know:

Why their character adventures - what is their goal? What is their hope and where do they see their character going in terms of progress in the world?

How do they fit into the world? What is their status? Where are they comfortable and where do they not fit in?

What kind of person are they? What can I expect from them? Do they stick to their principles or do they let things slide? Are they gung-ho or calculating?

Who are their allies and enemies? Are they part of a group? Do they want to gain membership with a group? Who really really hates them? Do they worship a god, a pantheon, and idea, and how devout are they?

 

[fba827]

I look for common things like:

* Upbringing: What type of area did you grow up in? (a big city, small town, raised by wolves, etc)
* Training: How did you learn most of your current skills and abilities? (taught by someone, self taught, etc)
* Relationships: What is his relationship like with his family and where are they? Close friends? Mentors?
* Motivations: In two sentences or less, what are your current motivating impulses (i.e. money, love, revenge, adventure, fame, finding/rescuing your mother, etc)
* (for higher level starting characters) Reputation: What types of things did you do to attain your current level of power and influence (i.e. you are starting at higher than 1st, for those past levels, what did you do: fight wars, destroy cults, rescue a queen, etc) or any pivotal sort of moments in your life that truly shape and define who you are?

sometimes if i'm going for a particular theme i might ask for something specific in addition... for instance, if i wanted to base a campaign around PCs stopping their nemeses I'd ask
* In two sentences or less, describe why he’s your nemesis (or rival). Does your nemesis know you and this is a very personal thing? Or are you just some nameless guy that your nemesis has wronged somehow. And what did he do to draw your attention?
* In two sentences or less, what motivates your nemesis (money, power, love, etc) – it need not be something world-altering, and maybe it isn’t even a problem for other people. It’s just something that somehow puts this person in conflict with you. (he runs around libraries putting books on the wrong shelves as a demonstration of his love for chaos, while your OCD makes your brain hurt every time you books not in Dewey decimal order …)
* What race/monster might he be, and what’s his name?
* What power would he be most likely to use (weaponry, divine power, arcane magic, primal forces, psionic attacks, etc)
* What type of henchmen would he typically use (lizardmen mercs, summoned undead, human thugs, etc)

 

[TheUltramark]

here is a terrible idea- lol - the way I roll...

I usually come up with an idea for a player backstory while coming up with an adventure. I get an idea like "hey, what if we say Joe's character comes from metropolis, and knows about the sewer system under a certain part of town." I run it by the player, who usually agrees, and then when the players get lost in the city, chasing down the were-rat, Joe is able to pipe up and say, "I know about the sewers over here, I was brought up in this part of town"

I know it is sort of "reverse engineering" but this way a player doesn't spend 2 weeks coming up with a back story that might not ever be a factor, and/or I don't have to rack my brain trying to come up with something to do with said crazy backstory.

It's kind of like pro wrestling or other soap opera, you can "morph the story" to fit what you want to do.

 

[Lanefan]

During initial roll-up I find I'm much more often in the position of answering questions than asking them. In fact I usually don't ask any questions at all unless I have reason to be suspicious of their dice rolling.

When a character's being rolled up to join an existing party I have to ask some basics e.g. what weapons is it proficient with so I can come up with suitable magic possessions for it (if any).

Lanefan

 

[Wednesday Boy]

If I was GMing a game I would ask each player--particularly optimizers, what I should expect from their character mechanically. I've never had a GM ask this sort of question but I think it would be very helpful for a GM. If your player is frank that their character is built to go crazy with charging it'll help you frame your game to better challenge the player while giving them opportunities to revel in their build. It also gives you the opportunity to nix the build right off the bat if it's warranted and it avoids you getting ambushed by some crazy combo that you weren't expecting.

 

[RedTonic]

I also wanted to note that I encourage my players to collaborate when building their PCs. They don't always take my advice, but when they do, I find it helps the game's forward momentum (especially in the early stages, when they're not quite comfortable with whatever setting we're playing in). Getting them to talk a bit also helps make a more balanced party without much in the way of hard feelings--they'll do some give and take with who picks up which role without my involvement.