The point of backgrounds [Archive] - Wizards Community

The point of backgrounds [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DwarvinJedi
09-17-05, 12:13 AM Personally as a DM I prefer characters to have short paragraph-ish length(it should be proportional to the character's level) background and a few traits and such.
What so y'all think(I'm not much of a writer, I don't really like adverbs and adjectives, so mine tend to be short)

BTW I am a drama student so I tend to be able to pick up a character based on at the most(well in 1 acts, anything longer lengthen the line #) 100 or so lines
Norhg
09-17-05, 06:00 AM I like longer backgrounds as it is easier to make a story out of them.
'Mercenary from non-descript family of unknown standing with no allegiances' is harder to work with that the 'illegitimate child of a wellknown elf-adventurer and a human knight who served none that was adopted by a respected wizard sage in the land of fornost who trained the half-elf to become a strong warriorleader but failed as he was unexpectedly betrayed by his apprentice whereupon he was thrown into an even greater life of tumoril eventually ending up in a newly established conclave of bards where his training was finished. Now he is out seeking revenge for his old mentor, a place in life and the perfection of his craft (basketweawing) skill.'

(note, this was not actually a long background. The difference between the one I first wrote and the second one is as big as the difference between the second one and those I usually write.)
Gingerbread Guy
09-17-05, 06:12 PM Hi gang,

I don't care so much about length as I do about plausability and completion. I want to see characters that are people, not just a bunch of stats.

A good background doesn't have to be in rediculous detail, nor does it have to be epic in any way. It just has to be well thought-out, and preferably original. Everyone and their dog had their parents killed by orcs/goblins/giants/wizards. It doesn't take much effort to rub a few brain cells together and come up with an interesting person to play.

That, to me, is the difference between roleplaying and rollplaying. I don't understand people who just want to roll dice and kill things. If all they want to do is have a really good to-hit bonus and a really big sword that does a lot of damage, why don't they just save themselves a lot of time by periodicly throwing their hands up in the air and yelling "I WIN!"

Exploring a character who has hopes, dreams, fears, shortcomings and unique behaviour is much, much more interesting to me. And if he kills some bad guys with a really big sword along the way, then all the better.

As a DM, I sit down with my players and discuss their characters before they're even allowed to TOUCH paper. I want them to have a clear idea of who their character is before they even look at a character sheet. Stats should be a way of expressing a character, not arranging the numbers to abuse rules and kill imaginary monsters.

I don't care if my players aren't good roleplayers. Everyone has played the Bob Deathkiller the 1st level fighter who's parents were killed by orcs. Everyone. What matters is that at some point we challenge ourselves to do better. What I care about is effort.

~Ginger
Ravenfeather
09-18-05, 05:12 PM Hi gang,

That, to me, is the difference between roleplaying and rollplaying. I don't understand people who just want to roll dice and kill things. If all they want to do is have a really good to-hit bonus and a really big sword that does a lot of damage, why don't they just save themselves a lot of time by periodicly throwing their hands up in the air and yelling "I WIN!"

~Ginger
Reducing the game to rules does not make it less of a challange. It is just a different playstyle.

Personally I write very lengthy backgrounds, but that's just a personal habit. And yes, when I DM, a demand adequate backgrounds of my players, because it is my game. If another DMs I do not even expect them to read my backgrounds.

I had fun playing characters without any background at all, just finding out little by little who they actually are.
And I had fun playing along with others whose characters whose characters did not have the slightest personality. In the end it is the fun that matters. Attitude often overestimated.

Everyone to its own, I guess.
Sorcerer
09-18-05, 11:25 PM I wrote a four page background when my DM grew sick and tired of Conan characters.
We had to:
1) Provide a detailed back story of at least one page.
2) Provide a reason the character chose to adventure (adventuring being an unusual career choice.)
3) provide complications, possible enemies, and hooks for the DM.
4) a majority of our family had to be alive and well at the end of the story.

The result was impressive. We had DM plot hooks in abundance.

We had a Warforged War Mage seeking an understanding of love...

A Walter Mitty type who left home due to a shrewish, screaming hag of a wife. He took up the call of the cruel deity of storms and devestation, but he's really a nice guy (NG).

An enigmatic female elven scout who refused to speak about the war, and on the run from a Noble Valenar blood feud

A Khorvaire Elf fighter, who idolized Arenal culture, and despaired that he would never be deathless. Unbeknownst to the party, he made a pact with the Blood of Vol to endure beyond death, as a vampire.

A halfling artificer-not quite sane-who was convinced there was a secret of the universe in the design of chairs. So he would take them apart wherever we went.

I played a human warlock, who betrayed his noble family (and the Blood of Vol) to the king of Karnath. He now serves as an agent of the Karnathi crown.
My Write up: Warlock (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=339478)

My point is this: our campaign was a hundred times better than we had ever played before!
Bone Lord
09-19-05, 05:42 AM I'm of the opinion that the more is shared about the character:

* The more I know of the character. His/her motivations, habits and methods. Making it easier to judge what he or she will or wont do within my game. I just ask a few follow up questions if it appears to have knowledge gaps that I need filled.

* It aids in creating storylines or sub-storylines about or dealing directly with that character. Which at times could lead to a quests, s mini-series of sessions, ect.. that deals directly with a character, his/her past, or those that are important to him or her. A good background can create fuel for custom storylines, which most DMs will enjoy. Usually making your DM happy is a good thing.

* It just really gives the character more game meaning, if you know where he/she has been...and where they wish to go as a being. It also allows players to create existing friendships or bonds between characters whos players wish to share a past w/them. Its one thing to witness a new companion in dire need, its another thing all-together to see a life-long friend in such a situation. It makes for quality ROLE playing, and great stories. What would the LoTR movies have offered if we didnt watch bonds of friendship and importance grow between the characters? Or witness scenes that fleshed out who they were, what drove them...and what they wanted?

The MORE you put into your character all the way around, the more you generally get out of them through play.
Ravenfeather
09-19-05, 09:48 AM Nah, I don't think so.

If you have a description of personality and a few consistent paragraphs, it has little impact on the first and third point you name. And about the second paragraph: I hardly know a DM who regulary refers to character background. In fact, if you write a long one that leads to DMs only flying over it and handing it back.

A pages long character background is mostly for the player who plays the char and mostly just because a player likes to write.
Bard-of-all-trades
09-23-05, 12:18 AM My group is starting an entirely new campaign. Our DM has made an entire world from scratch. The planet, history, political structure, deities, EVERYTHING. He has included all the players to contribute as much or as little as they want. This will cut down the dreaded problem when a player asks "Would my character know ..." We all have a vested interest in the campaign as well. And with that interest, we have to come up with backgrounds for our first level characters to become part of the world they live in.

With that said, I've played characters that had no background and others that had extensive backgrounds. I haven't had a problem with either kind. Sometimes the game calls for a detailed background that the DM can use as a resource and other times it doesn't matter. I've made a very memorable character from no background at all. I've also added to a character that had a long and storied background.

As a DM, I like to see something, anything really, for a background. It shows that they put some thought into their character and possibly a goal to try and attain. Even if it is to be the biggest, baddest thing walking the face of the planet. After all, even munchkins have backgrounds too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DwarvinJedi 09-17-05, 12:13 AM	Personally as a DM I prefer characters to have short paragraph-ish length(it should be proportional to the character's level) background and a few traits and such. What so y'all think(I'm not much of a writer, I don't really like adverbs and adjectives, so mine tend to be short) BTW I am a drama student so I tend to be able to pick up a character based on at the most(well in 1 acts, anything longer lengthen the line #) 100 or so lines
Norhg 09-17-05, 06:00 AM	I like longer backgrounds as it is easier to make a story out of them. 'Mercenary from non-descript family of unknown standing with no allegiances' is harder to work with that the 'illegitimate child of a wellknown elf-adventurer and a human knight who served none that was adopted by a respected wizard sage in the land of fornost who trained the half-elf to become a strong warriorleader but failed as he was unexpectedly betrayed by his apprentice whereupon he was thrown into an even greater life of tumoril eventually ending up in a newly established conclave of bards where his training was finished. Now he is out seeking revenge for his old mentor, a place in life and the perfection of his craft (basketweawing) skill.' (note, this was not actually a long background. The difference between the one I first wrote and the second one is as big as the difference between the second one and those I usually write.)
Gingerbread Guy 09-17-05, 06:12 PM	Hi gang, I don't care so much about length as I do about plausability and completion. I want to see characters that are people, not just a bunch of stats. A good background doesn't have to be in rediculous detail, nor does it have to be epic in any way. It just has to be well thought-out, and preferably original. Everyone and their dog had their parents killed by orcs/goblins/giants/wizards. It doesn't take much effort to rub a few brain cells together and come up with an interesting person to play. That, to me, is the difference between roleplaying and rollplaying. I don't understand people who just want to roll dice and kill things. If all they want to do is have a really good to-hit bonus and a really big sword that does a lot of damage, why don't they just save themselves a lot of time by periodicly throwing their hands up in the air and yelling "I WIN!" Exploring a character who has hopes, dreams, fears, shortcomings and unique behaviour is much, much more interesting to me. And if he kills some bad guys with a really big sword along the way, then all the better. As a DM, I sit down with my players and discuss their characters before they're even allowed to TOUCH paper. I want them to have a clear idea of who their character is before they even look at a character sheet. Stats should be a way of expressing a character, not arranging the numbers to abuse rules and kill imaginary monsters. I don't care if my players aren't good roleplayers. Everyone has played the Bob Deathkiller the 1st level fighter who's parents were killed by orcs. Everyone. What matters is that at some point we challenge ourselves to do better. What I care about is effort. ~Ginger
Ravenfeather 09-18-05, 05:12 PM	Hi gang, That, to me, is the difference between roleplaying and rollplaying. I don't understand people who just want to roll dice and kill things. If all they want to do is have a really good to-hit bonus and a really big sword that does a lot of damage, why don't they just save themselves a lot of time by periodicly throwing their hands up in the air and yelling "I WIN!" ~Ginger Reducing the game to rules does not make it less of a challange. It is just a different playstyle. Personally I write very lengthy backgrounds, but that's just a personal habit. And yes, when I DM, a demand adequate backgrounds of my players, because it is my game. If another DMs I do not even expect them to read my backgrounds. I had fun playing characters without any background at all, just finding out little by little who they actually are. And I had fun playing along with others whose characters whose characters did not have the slightest personality. In the end it is the fun that matters. Attitude often overestimated. Everyone to its own, I guess.
Sorcerer 09-18-05, 11:25 PM	I wrote a four page background when my DM grew sick and tired of Conan characters. We had to: 1) Provide a detailed back story of at least one page. 2) Provide a reason the character chose to adventure (adventuring being an unusual career choice.) 3) provide complications, possible enemies, and hooks for the DM. 4) a majority of our family had to be alive and well at the end of the story. The result was impressive. We had DM plot hooks in abundance. We had a Warforged War Mage seeking an understanding of love... A Walter Mitty type who left home due to a shrewish, screaming hag of a wife. He took up the call of the cruel deity of storms and devestation, but he's really a nice guy (NG). An enigmatic female elven scout who refused to speak about the war, and on the run from a Noble Valenar blood feud A Khorvaire Elf fighter, who idolized Arenal culture, and despaired that he would never be deathless. Unbeknownst to the party, he made a pact with the Blood of Vol to endure beyond death, as a vampire. A halfling artificer-not quite sane-who was convinced there was a secret of the universe in the design of chairs. So he would take them apart wherever we went. I played a human warlock, who betrayed his noble family (and the Blood of Vol) to the king of Karnath. He now serves as an agent of the Karnathi crown. My Write up: Warlock (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=339478) My point is this: our campaign was a hundred times better than we had ever played before!
Bone Lord 09-19-05, 05:42 AM	I'm of the opinion that the more is shared about the character: * The more I know of the character. His/her motivations, habits and methods. Making it easier to judge what he or she will or wont do within my game. I just ask a few follow up questions if it appears to have knowledge gaps that I need filled. * It aids in creating storylines or sub-storylines about or dealing directly with that character. Which at times could lead to a quests, s mini-series of sessions, ect.. that deals directly with a character, his/her past, or those that are important to him or her. A good background can create fuel for custom storylines, which most DMs will enjoy. Usually making your DM happy is a good thing. * It just really gives the character more game meaning, if you know where he/she has been...and where they wish to go as a being. It also allows players to create existing friendships or bonds between characters whos players wish to share a past w/them. Its one thing to witness a new companion in dire need, its another thing all-together to see a life-long friend in such a situation. It makes for quality ROLE playing, and great stories. What would the LoTR movies have offered if we didnt watch bonds of friendship and importance grow between the characters? Or witness scenes that fleshed out who they were, what drove them...and what they wanted? The MORE you put into your character all the way around, the more you generally get out of them through play.
Ravenfeather 09-19-05, 09:48 AM	Nah, I don't think so. If you have a description of personality and a few consistent paragraphs, it has little impact on the first and third point you name. And about the second paragraph: I hardly know a DM who regulary refers to character background. In fact, if you write a long one that leads to DMs only flying over it and handing it back. A pages long character background is mostly for the player who plays the char and mostly just because a player likes to write.
Bard-of-all-trades 09-23-05, 12:18 AM	My group is starting an entirely new campaign. Our DM has made an entire world from scratch. The planet, history, political structure, deities, EVERYTHING. He has included all the players to contribute as much or as little as they want. This will cut down the dreaded problem when a player asks "Would my character know ..." We all have a vested interest in the campaign as well. And with that interest, we have to come up with backgrounds for our first level characters to become part of the world they live in. With that said, I've played characters that had no background and others that had extensive backgrounds. I haven't had a problem with either kind. Sometimes the game calls for a detailed background that the DM can use as a resource and other times it doesn't matter. I've made a very memorable character from no background at all. I've also added to a character that had a long and storied background. As a DM, I like to see something, anything really, for a background. It shows that they put some thought into their character and possibly a goal to try and attain. Even if it is to be the biggest, baddest thing walking the face of the planet. After all, even munchkins have backgrounds too.