Do you retcon your character backgrounds much? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Do you retcon your character backgrounds much? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JulesCARV
05-05-06, 10:34 PM I'm just wondering how many of you typically change or "supplement" your character backgrounds after the campaign has started. I must confess, I do: not wholesale rewriting, but... y'know, adding a bit of depth.
Grave_Accomplice
05-05-06, 10:55 PM Bits and piece here and there. Mainly to help explain new developments in a campaign. We all get group approval before we make the change though.
Need_A_Life
05-06-06, 04:52 AM I just keep huge gaps in the story and fill those in as I go along.

Example:

My character has been wandering the lands for 50 years at his masters order, when asked what he has done in that time I improvised and said "I am not allowed to speak of all of my assignments" and when pressed about what I am allowed to speak of I said, "I delivered gifts to counts and barons, I think the last was some... 32 years ago,". I improvised but kept true to what I had written.
Arco Versipellis
05-06-06, 11:49 AM Yeah, I try to leave a little elbow room. None of the "Doesn't remember much about his past" stuff though. When necessary, I'll change a detail to have it tie into the sotryline better.
kelvinaw273
05-06-06, 12:17 PM I tend to expand on my character backgrounds too, as I grow into the character, though always with DM permission. I like to leave enough hooks and grey areas for some character-oriented hooks later, plenty of ammunition for the Dm to load up with to start taking potshots at me :D

After all, it wouldn't do to be boring would it?
Need_A_Life
05-06-06, 02:55 PM Extra note:

Add in as many plothooks and grey areas as possible.
1) I eases the job for the DM when caught flatfooted and having to introduce a new series as adventures.
2) It fleshes out your character more easily during play
3) When the character is torn between a master and the party things get interesting
Fleet_Halfelven
05-09-06, 07:33 AM I just make up a personality, and then the history just kinda fills itself in. I never actually change the history. I just make up whatever I'm asked when it comes up, and it just becomes part of the character, and helps to explain why they are who they are. In the beginning, I have enough background to explain who I am. The details come later when I know more about myself. Most of the time they're irrelevant, really.

The only character I actually thought up the whole history of before the game was Fleet Halfelven *poses* (the pose is part of the name), who evolved from me liking the name. And even his backstory was completely dwarfed by his personality. Seriously. He's a lich who's gotten an entire good party to view him as their pet puppy. This may have something to do with his 6 wisdom (this includes the +2 wisdom from being a lich).
Starchaserva
05-22-06, 02:17 PM I've done that...never have done a full scale re-imagining, but when you have this massive backstory, and you're only starting at level 1, it doesn't make much sense. So, I figure leveling is cumulative, the character has always had this in him, just hasn't been able to fully utilize it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JulesCARV 05-05-06, 10:34 PM	I'm just wondering how many of you typically change or "supplement" your character backgrounds after the campaign has started. I must confess, I do: not wholesale rewriting, but... y'know, adding a bit of depth.
Grave_Accomplice 05-05-06, 10:55 PM	Bits and piece here and there. Mainly to help explain new developments in a campaign. We all get group approval before we make the change though.
Need_A_Life 05-06-06, 04:52 AM	I just keep huge gaps in the story and fill those in as I go along. Example: My character has been wandering the lands for 50 years at his masters order, when asked what he has done in that time I improvised and said "I am not allowed to speak of all of my assignments" and when pressed about what I am allowed to speak of I said, "I delivered gifts to counts and barons, I think the last was some... 32 years ago,". I improvised but kept true to what I had written.
Arco Versipellis 05-06-06, 11:49 AM	Yeah, I try to leave a little elbow room. None of the "Doesn't remember much about his past" stuff though. When necessary, I'll change a detail to have it tie into the sotryline better.
kelvinaw273 05-06-06, 12:17 PM	I tend to expand on my character backgrounds too, as I grow into the character, though always with DM permission. I like to leave enough hooks and grey areas for some character-oriented hooks later, plenty of ammunition for the Dm to load up with to start taking potshots at me :D After all, it wouldn't do to be boring would it?
Need_A_Life 05-06-06, 02:55 PM	Extra note: Add in as many plothooks and grey areas as possible. 1) I eases the job for the DM when caught flatfooted and having to introduce a new series as adventures. 2) It fleshes out your character more easily during play 3) When the character is torn between a master and the party things get interesting
Fleet_Halfelven 05-09-06, 07:33 AM	I just make up a personality, and then the history just kinda fills itself in. I never actually change the history. I just make up whatever I'm asked when it comes up, and it just becomes part of the character, and helps to explain why they are who they are. In the beginning, I have enough background to explain who I am. The details come later when I know more about myself. Most of the time they're irrelevant, really. The only character I actually thought up the whole history of before the game was Fleet Halfelven poses (the pose is part of the name), who evolved from me liking the name. And even his backstory was completely dwarfed by his personality. Seriously. He's a lich who's gotten an entire good party to view him as their pet puppy. This may have something to do with his 6 wisdom (this includes the +2 wisdom from being a lich).
Starchaserva 05-22-06, 02:17 PM	I've done that...never have done a full scale re-imagining, but when you have this massive backstory, and you're only starting at level 1, it doesn't make much sense. So, I figure leveling is cumulative, the character has always had this in him, just hasn't been able to fully utilize it.