After all this, and you’re still
A list of Questions
to Get You Started
1. How old is your character?
2. Are your parents still alive? If not, when and how did
they die?
4. Who raised you after your parents died?
5. Do you have any siblings?
6. Have any of them died or done something
noteworthy?
7. Is your character married?
8. Does your character have children?
9. What social class is your character from?
10. How has their upbringing affected their worldview?
11. What specific memory do you have that you look
back on with happiness or that shaped you in a positive
way?
12. What specific negative, scary, or traumatizing
memory do you have from childhood?
13. How did your character get started in their chosen
class / background?
14. What do you do for work?
15. Who is an inspirational figure for your character?
16. Does your character have any significant personal
items?
17. What are your character’s religious practices or
beliefs?
18. What was your education like?
19. What is your character’s views on magic?
20. Where did your character learn or train their skills?
21. Who are some of your character’s closest friends?
22. Does your character have any enemies?
23. What are your character’s goals in life?
24. If your character died tomorrow, what would they be
stuck with no ideas?
THEN TRY THESE!
IDEA – 1: Be Yourself
 How often do you get the chance to be a stronger,
faster, more powerful version of yourself? Try it
out!
IDEA – 2: Be your Evil Twin
 Tired of being good and know there’s a mischievous
side of you that wants to get out? Let it loose!
IDEA – 3: Play a Familiar Fictional Character
(Just make sure you can make them fit the world
you’re in. Ask your DM for help.)
 Iconic characters like Han Solo, Wonder Woman,
Robo-cop, Legolas, or so many more!
IDEA – 4: Talk to your DM for ideas
Creating a character in Dungeons and Dragons
IDEA – 5: Choose a Catchy and Easy to Remember can be as simple or as complex as you want to
Archetype and Hook make it. This guide hopes to offer some insight
 Formulate a single sentence that describes your
into how the process works, how you can get
character, where they come from, and what life
event has shaped them (making sure it fits in the the most out of your character, and how your
universe you’re playing in.) play group can have the most fun with the
characters you all create.
For Example: “CHECK IT OUT! I’M GOING TO BE A
RESOURCEFUL DRAGONBORN RANGER FROM A
LOCAL BREWERY WHO FAILED OUT OF EVERY GUILD
Above all remember: Dungeons and
HE’S EVER JOINED!” Dragons is a collective storytelling game.
 Everyone at the table has an interesting
story to tell
You still need more resources? Check these out:
 Everyone at the table wants a turn in the
 www.whothefuckismydndcharacter.com (language warning)
 “Great GM RPG Sessions” on Youtube.com (lots of good
spotlight to do The Cool Epic Thing!
videos on lots of good topics)  Everyone at the table wants to have fun
 Go read some popular fantasy and sci-fi books, or watch
some popular fantasy or sci-fi TV shows or movies
 Everyone at the table (including you) has a
responsibility to work together to make
these things happen

CREATING A CHARACTER
1. CHARACTER CONCEPT – this should be a 30s
elevator pitch idea for what sort of character you
want to play. Make sure it fits with the setting of
the game, and is something you will enjoy
playing.
2. PICK A RACE – If your elevator pitch does not
immediately give away what race you should
pick, then start reading through the races to find
one that looks like a match!
3. PICK A BACKGROUND – This is where your
character started life before becoming an
adventurer. It gives them some skills and some
flaws!
4. PICK A CLASS – One of the most important
choices because this will determine what sorts of
things your character can do.
5. GENERATE ABILITY SCORES – Different games
will use different methods for this. Consult your
DM.
6. EQUIPMENT – Use any extra money you have
to buy some stuff your character will start with.
7. HEALTH AND HIT DICE – Roll your classes Hit
Die and add your CONSTITUTION modifier to see
your starting HP
8. FILLING IN BONUSES – Add up any
proficiencies, ability modifiers, or other bonuses
to flesh everything out.
The Character Sheet
Ability Scores – Your character stats
Skills and Proficiencies – What
your character is good at
Hit Points and Armor Class –
Keeps you from dying
Background Info – Who your
character is and how they act
Attacks / Damage / Spells –
How you fight
TIPS and Pointers
TIP #1: Choose a mix of skills for each of the three
types of scene.
This way you won’t be stuck with nothing to do.
 Combat skills (Athletics, Stealth, Intimidation, Animal Handle)
 Exploration Skills (Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Arcana,
History, Investigation, Nature, Religion, Insight, Medicine,
Perception, Survival)
 Interaction Skills (Sleight of Hand, Investigation, Religion,
Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion)
TIP #2: Choose well-rounded combat skills.
It’s great that your favorite spell is FIREBALL or that you
love to swing a Greatsword at anything that moves, but
what happens when you don’t have that sword, or are
out of spells? What’s your backup? What’s your backup
to your backup?
TIP #3: Don’t get TOO creative.
Some players want to fit every cool idea they come up
with into a single character, which can get very messy
and not all that fun.
Additionally, some players dive so deep into their custom
character idea that it becomes a burden for everyone at
the table to play with. It’s not a lot of fun when your
character hates combat, has poor social skills, and cares
more about keeping their nails clean than finding
answers to the quest they are on.
TIP #4: Character Built for a Party.
You are not the only hero at the table. You are a team of
adventurers who are working together to solve a quest.
Be a part of your party, not an antagonist to it.
TIP #5: Have fun and help others have fun.
It can be just as rewarding and fun to help throw the
wizard into the face of the giant so that they are up close
and personal when they cast Fireball right in its eye.
Help your team come to a solution, rather than always
being the solution yourself.