Character Background Questionaire. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Character Background Questionaire. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz
10-13-05, 03:20 PM Ok I created this as a way to allow my players to play the optional material for a character, but to make them have to earn it. I have by no means came up with all the questions reguarding a characters background. I want to increase this questionaire for my PCs where they can get up to 200 points by writing a bad ***** character background, unfortunately the current rendition is only up to 115 points. The totals given in () at the end of the Question are the total amount of points scorable on that question.

Character Training (10 pnt): How did your character become what they are today? Did they have a teacher, and is he/she dead or alive (+2 points)? If they are alive why don’t you study with them anymore (+3 points)? (Total 15 pnt)
Family & Friends (10 pnts): Tell about your characters family and friends before the present. How did you interact with these people, where you close or distant with them (+1 pnt per person/5 pnts max)? Are any of the members of your family members that are dead or alive, if they’re alive where are they (+1 pnt per person/5 pnts max)? (Total 20 pnt)
Home & Childhood (10 pnt): Where are you from, and what was it like growing up there? (+5 pnts if used well with Question 2) (Total 15 pnt)
Detailed Description (5 pnts): What does your character look like, include the following: height, weight, skin, hair, eyes, posture, tone of voice, his relaxed facial expressions (is he always smiling, squinting, glaring, ect), distinguishing marks & tattoos, ect.
Goals (10 pnts): What are your goals and why are they so important? (Total 10 pnts)
Adventuring (5 pnts): Why have you become an adventurer, what brought you to this career path? (+5 pnts if you can tie this into your goals well). (Total 10 pnt)
Colleagues (5 pnts): Mention at least 3 people you’ve met and are on good terms with but are not your friends. These are acquaintances and not sworn blood-oath allies.
Allegiances (10 pnt): Does your character have an allegiance to anything (this can be to a person, group, or ideal)? Why has your character pledged this allegiance (+2 pnts)? How does your character view this allegiance now, does he still hold it in high regards or has he already broken it (+3 pnts)? (Total 15 pnt)
Enemies (10 pnts): Does your character have any enemies? Are these enemies dead or alive (+2 points)? What is the cause of this hostile intent (+3 points)? (Total 15 pnt)
Hobbies (3 pnts): What does your character do for fun or in his spare time? +1 bonus pnt per extra hobby (2 bonus pnt max). (Total 5 pnt)
Fears & Dislikes (5 pnts): What things disgust and strike fear into your character? Are these fears can be rational or irrational dislike/fears (+5 pnts for explaining why you have the fear/dislike, +2 pnt if irrational)? +1 bonus pnt for every extra dislike or fear mentioned (+3 bonus pnt max). (Total 15 pnt)
Religion (5 pnts): Is you character religous or not? How does your character view these beliefs (+5 pnts)? Why is your character active/not active in the church (+5 pnts)? (15 points total)
Magic (3 pnts): How does your character view magic/psionics? Why does your character like/dislike magic (+2 pnts)? (Total 5 pnt)
Psionics (3 pnts): How does your character view psionics? Why does your character like/dislike psionics (+2 pnts)? (Total 5 pnt)
Admirations (3 pnts): What does your character admire? Why does your character admire such things (+2 pnts)? What has your character seen/done in the past to inspire this admiration (+3 pnts)? +1 bonus pnt for each admiration mentioned (+2 bonus pnt max). (Total 10 pnt)
Death Stryke
10-13-05, 03:44 PM I would maybe split this into 4 main areas and then increase the points you have allocated. It looks like you have covered everything very well. I would just assign more points to the areas that are more helpful to you.

For example:
Family & Enemies could be helpful when wandering through towns or trying to find some information. Do they run across a family member thought dead? Do they get contacted by an old enemy wanting to make amends?

Goals, Fears and Allegiances can be used to make interesting plot hooks and storylines.

Personally of what you have detailed below I would rather have more information from the above areas than the rest simply because while it is nice to flesh out a characters hobbies, they probably won't have much in-game impact.

I would make the above 5 areas worth 20 points apiece then divide the remaining 100 between the other areas to make it more enticing to do the above.

DS
rbrt_Spade
10-13-05, 03:51 PM what do the pcs want to adventure for power? love? gold? training to slay the bbeg that slain here family?

what are some of the bad traits of the pcs?
greedyness for example

what does the pc want in the future?

why does she worship the god she chose?
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz
10-13-05, 05:00 PM You got a good idea Death Stryk, I may increase those by 5-10 points. These question are rated on their importance, but also the amount of detail given to them as well. This questionaire actually allows my players to build characters that I wouldn't normally allow with out good reasoning. And their good reasoning is in the questionaire pretty much. The score that a character get determines if they need to put more thought into their character or no. For instance, someone wants to play an Illumian Warlock, or a Skarn Soulborn. The scores tally from
30 points- PHB (plus Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, and Orc)/Eberron Campaign Setting
40 points- Basic Races w/ Psionic Class
50 points- Optional Race w/ PHB class or Basic Races w/ Optional Class
60 points- Optional Race w/ Psionic Class
70+ points- Optional Race w/ Optional Class
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz
10-13-05, 05:33 PM Ok I also need at least one or two good questions to add to this and it will be done.
spoogemonkey
10-13-05, 05:54 PM Ask for weaknesses...
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz
10-13-05, 06:09 PM I don't think weaknesses would fit in to well, as your ability scores and weaknesses really would change the mechanics to much. This is really just a way to make people flesh out their characters and put it in writing. Not only that but I plan on using the fears/aspirations as a way to make the game a little more realistic (the whole circumstance effects +2/-2)
Bud Green
10-13-05, 06:12 PM Pet-peeves. Every RL person has some, so it makes sense that D&D characters would too. These can help add individual flavor and uniqueness to PCs.
Deluxe 247 G
10-13-05, 06:14 PM Instead of just asking your players what their characters were like before the campaign, you could just play it out with them. I actually did that for the first time this campaign, and it works better if you have an experienced role-player who really wants to flesh our his or her character, and not just a roll-player -- the latter being the majority of the friends I play with.

This part of the game should take no less than one normal session (for us), and a maximum of about five I think.

Here's how I did it.

Collect races the players want to play prior to writing the campaign. Ask for a few so you can work around their wants.

I got..

Half-Drow......Khoraith (Druid)
Half-Elf.........Linthal Airar (Ranger)
Human..........Zelmeith Merdir (Ranger)
Human..........Jiben Jethwar (Fighter/Ranger)
Human..........Nyrwin Nenbyr (Druid)
Kobold..........Malakai (Ranger)

Not your average party. I started two humans(Zelmeith and Jiben), the half-elf and the half-drow in a coastal city, where they trained at one of the best schools known. The half-drow was found just outside the city walls (about a day, actually) when he was about 4-7, no one really knows, but they can guess. In parenthesis is(are) the class(es) that the player wanted his character to go into, something I considered upon generation.

So the Half-Drow was adopted by Jiben's family, Linthal changed his name to Bael Tardaad, Tardaad was his father's given name and upon birth Linthal's parents wanted him to have an elven name, not very much appreiciated by Linthal. Then he changed his first name to Bael for whatever reason.

Nyrwin was on the islands mapping things for barbarian tribes, Malakai was in the mountains and decided to go exploring with a small band of other kobolds, blah blah blah.

Pretty much, that was pre-campaign and we're just getting out of it now, after 3 or 4 sessions (I do one session with each group differently, so different players on different nights). It's kinda slow in the beginning, but after everyone's reached eachother and the campaign really gets going, my players and I agree that the pre-campaign is quite helpful in just getting a feel for your character. Maybe I went on too long about my own party...

Hope it helped,
Eli
Dragonsblood
10-13-05, 06:32 PM What would be a fun first date?

What is your idea of an ideal relationship?

:dancin:
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz
10-13-05, 07:15 PM Deluxe this is actually being used to shut one of my players who is a friend of mine up. He constantly complains about other players power gaming, complains of psionics being allowed, ect. So I came up with this chart and questionaire for my players. If they want to play some off the wall thing, go right ahead, but you have to do good on your background or else. Even if your character has amnesia, work out the history just don't use it in game.
Tarionz_Cousin
10-13-05, 11:00 PM 1. What does your character want inscribed on her tombstone?
2. What non-magical item(s) does your character like, cherish, and avoid? For example, does he have any sentimental keepsakes?
3. What annoys your character?
4. How does your character feel about pets? Horses? Domesticated animals? Animals kept in a zoo?
5. If your character were starving, cold, and homeless, what would she do to survive? Beg? Steal? Murder?
Gallameed
10-13-05, 11:11 PM What year was your character born in? Whats his/her birthday?

This is good for worlds with detailed time lines like FR, or if you keep a calendar for the campaign.

My players sometimes pick their own RL birthday and have their character share it so its easy to remember in game.

Sometimes it can really have an effect in game as a character may be born in "the year of the broken lance" or something and that might have importance to the character concept. It could be an omen or have religious meaning.
tuffn00gies
10-13-05, 11:19 PM I'd make Goals and Adventuring worth far more points. On Friends and Family, being an orphan with no siblings is worth 0 points!
guru7892
10-14-05, 12:10 AM I'd make Goals and Adventuring worth far more points. On Friends and Family, being an orphan with no siblings is worth 0 points!
well, what if they talk about orphanige life and their close freinds and mentors?
Morka
10-14-05, 10:03 AM Check the links in my sig, especially the one with 100 questions for a character background, it should give you some ideas!
Dragon_loving_DM
10-14-05, 01:04 PM Great Idea and all for making a background...but don't you think your over doing it a bit much...I mean I want to play the game and know just as much as the next guy but to sit and write an essay on my character...My biggest question (and if answered in the way I think it will be will basically kill this post is) DO you only make them do this for higher level characters...cause the whole indepth background would get annoying for lower level PC's (I'ld say anything below lv4) If it is just for higher level characters ignore this post but if it's for lower levels too please explain your logic because any pc below fourth or so level is basically wicked young just on principal...
prettyripples
10-14-05, 01:12 PM any pc below fourth or so level is basically wicked young just on principal...
By 4th level you're pretty special, actually - sure, there are others like you, but you're tough, physically developed, certainly fully adult... if you're a dwarf, you're probably edging 50. An elf is far over a hundred, and the youngest L1 character the PHb will let you play is a 15-yr-old half-orc (humans must be 16+).

Now sure, you'll have seen a lot more of the world by the time you're level twenty, but there's a good chunk of life - probably more in terms of time - gone by before you hit level 1, let alone level 4. Pretending you're "born special" is just the kind of thing this guy's questionairre is meant to prevent.
Dragon_loving_DM
10-14-05, 01:23 PM >.< DOH I forgot about that...I've been playing with humans for a while now and compleatly forgot that elves and dwarves would be older...point taken...But I wonder...honestly before your PC started really s/he was just a kid all accounts considered (elf dwarf ect..) odds are you helped at home or in the family shop so as far as most of the questions go one would have to answer as if they were a kid...because correct me if I'm wrong but before you start adventuring unless theres some reason your a lot older you would basically be treated as a kid by your own races rules...I may just be horriblly mixed up and if so please forgive me I'm just trying to see the point in doing this for all PC's even those on the lower teirs or the game...(BTW I did just wake up and I'm trying to jumpstart my brain.... <_<)
prettyripples
10-14-05, 02:19 PM Uh, yeah sorry Dragon-loving DM I guess I was a little harsh. I've been awake all day, so I'm tired and snappy.

If you're used to playing as humans then I'll admit they are quite a bit younger - although I still find there's usually been some caravan guarding / mage school attending / lifetime devotion to Pelor that can make more interesting background than helping at home. After all, if you can reach level 1 by helping at home for 15 years, how could any adventurer expect to be "average" until they'd reached level 5 or so - let alone the kind of person a town would take their troubles to.

There's almost always a reason to start adventuring, and then a period of "training", even if that's simply hanging out with dad the hunter or a three-year stint in the town watch. Both of those should be highlights of any background. Then you have your hometown, your family, your character... trust me, there's plenty to write about.

On the other hand, some of level 10 or above would probably say "Well, I mucked around at home for a while, and then..." **insert adventures here**.
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz
10-15-05, 06:54 PM Actually DLDM yes I make them do it for all their characters, but there are some things that should be noted. I rarely start the group off lower then 2-4th lv (usually 3rd). Also this encourages role-playing rather then roll-playing, as your character becomes a little more special when you do this. Another thing I would like to add, is I do this to make my characters think before they just make up any character. PHB material and Campaign Setting material (races and classes) requires you only score 30 points on the background. Now as the stuff becomes more optional it becomes more important that you come up with a good background. My players actually like it, someone the other day asked what do they get if they actually score 160+ points on the background. I said I don't count on you doing it but we'll handle this when we get there. This is my way of makin' my players earn their PCs. If you can't score thirty points on the background, don't play at my table. Everyone loves my game, hell last night only 2 people got into any kind of combat and everyone loved the game. I also do this for sub-plots and role-playing for my group. Character goes through his hometown and runs into his brother who he thought died in the Last War (I use Eberron setting), come to find out his brother is dead, and its a changling that took his place. I mean the questionaire is good because this way my players can't say I want to play a Warlock. I'll be like ok, give me a good background, and they do. This is why I use the questionaire. With benifits comes penalties. In my game benifit is you can play almost any class. Penalty, you have to work for any of the optional stuff.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz 10-13-05, 03:20 PM	Ok I created this as a way to allow my players to play the optional material for a character, but to make them have to earn it. I have by no means came up with all the questions reguarding a characters background. I want to increase this questionaire for my PCs where they can get up to 200 points by writing a bad ***** character background, unfortunately the current rendition is only up to 115 points. The totals given in () at the end of the Question are the total amount of points scorable on that question. Character Training (10 pnt): How did your character become what they are today? Did they have a teacher, and is he/she dead or alive (+2 points)? If they are alive why don’t you study with them anymore (+3 points)? (Total 15 pnt) Family & Friends (10 pnts): Tell about your characters family and friends before the present. How did you interact with these people, where you close or distant with them (+1 pnt per person/5 pnts max)? Are any of the members of your family members that are dead or alive, if they’re alive where are they (+1 pnt per person/5 pnts max)? (Total 20 pnt) Home & Childhood (10 pnt): Where are you from, and what was it like growing up there? (+5 pnts if used well with Question 2) (Total 15 pnt) Detailed Description (5 pnts): What does your character look like, include the following: height, weight, skin, hair, eyes, posture, tone of voice, his relaxed facial expressions (is he always smiling, squinting, glaring, ect), distinguishing marks & tattoos, ect. Goals (10 pnts): What are your goals and why are they so important? (Total 10 pnts) Adventuring (5 pnts): Why have you become an adventurer, what brought you to this career path? (+5 pnts if you can tie this into your goals well). (Total 10 pnt) Colleagues (5 pnts): Mention at least 3 people you’ve met and are on good terms with but are not your friends. These are acquaintances and not sworn blood-oath allies. Allegiances (10 pnt): Does your character have an allegiance to anything (this can be to a person, group, or ideal)? Why has your character pledged this allegiance (+2 pnts)? How does your character view this allegiance now, does he still hold it in high regards or has he already broken it (+3 pnts)? (Total 15 pnt) Enemies (10 pnts): Does your character have any enemies? Are these enemies dead or alive (+2 points)? What is the cause of this hostile intent (+3 points)? (Total 15 pnt) Hobbies (3 pnts): What does your character do for fun or in his spare time? +1 bonus pnt per extra hobby (2 bonus pnt max). (Total 5 pnt) Fears & Dislikes (5 pnts): What things disgust and strike fear into your character? Are these fears can be rational or irrational dislike/fears (+5 pnts for explaining why you have the fear/dislike, +2 pnt if irrational)? +1 bonus pnt for every extra dislike or fear mentioned (+3 bonus pnt max). (Total 15 pnt) Religion (5 pnts): Is you character religous or not? How does your character view these beliefs (+5 pnts)? Why is your character active/not active in the church (+5 pnts)? (15 points total) Magic (3 pnts): How does your character view magic/psionics? Why does your character like/dislike magic (+2 pnts)? (Total 5 pnt) Psionics (3 pnts): How does your character view psionics? Why does your character like/dislike psionics (+2 pnts)? (Total 5 pnt) Admirations (3 pnts): What does your character admire? Why does your character admire such things (+2 pnts)? What has your character seen/done in the past to inspire this admiration (+3 pnts)? +1 bonus pnt for each admiration mentioned (+2 bonus pnt max). (Total 10 pnt)
Death Stryke 10-13-05, 03:44 PM	I would maybe split this into 4 main areas and then increase the points you have allocated. It looks like you have covered everything very well. I would just assign more points to the areas that are more helpful to you. For example: Family & Enemies could be helpful when wandering through towns or trying to find some information. Do they run across a family member thought dead? Do they get contacted by an old enemy wanting to make amends? Goals, Fears and Allegiances can be used to make interesting plot hooks and storylines. Personally of what you have detailed below I would rather have more information from the above areas than the rest simply because while it is nice to flesh out a characters hobbies, they probably won't have much in-game impact. I would make the above 5 areas worth 20 points apiece then divide the remaining 100 between the other areas to make it more enticing to do the above. DS
rbrt_Spade 10-13-05, 03:51 PM	what do the pcs want to adventure for power? love? gold? training to slay the bbeg that slain here family? what are some of the bad traits of the pcs? greedyness for example what does the pc want in the future? why does she worship the god she chose?
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz 10-13-05, 05:00 PM	You got a good idea Death Stryk, I may increase those by 5-10 points. These question are rated on their importance, but also the amount of detail given to them as well. This questionaire actually allows my players to build characters that I wouldn't normally allow with out good reasoning. And their good reasoning is in the questionaire pretty much. The score that a character get determines if they need to put more thought into their character or no. For instance, someone wants to play an Illumian Warlock, or a Skarn Soulborn. The scores tally from 30 points- PHB (plus Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, and Orc)/Eberron Campaign Setting 40 points- Basic Races w/ Psionic Class 50 points- Optional Race w/ PHB class or Basic Races w/ Optional Class 60 points- Optional Race w/ Psionic Class 70+ points- Optional Race w/ Optional Class
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz 10-13-05, 05:33 PM	Ok I also need at least one or two good questions to add to this and it will be done.
spoogemonkey 10-13-05, 05:54 PM	Ask for weaknesses...
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz 10-13-05, 06:09 PM	I don't think weaknesses would fit in to well, as your ability scores and weaknesses really would change the mechanics to much. This is really just a way to make people flesh out their characters and put it in writing. Not only that but I plan on using the fears/aspirations as a way to make the game a little more realistic (the whole circumstance effects +2/-2)
Bud Green 10-13-05, 06:12 PM	Pet-peeves. Every RL person has some, so it makes sense that D&D characters would too. These can help add individual flavor and uniqueness to PCs.
Deluxe 247 G 10-13-05, 06:14 PM	Instead of just asking your players what their characters were like before the campaign, you could just play it out with them. I actually did that for the first time this campaign, and it works better if you have an experienced role-player who really wants to flesh our his or her character, and not just a roll-player -- the latter being the majority of the friends I play with. This part of the game should take no less than one normal session (for us), and a maximum of about five I think. Here's how I did it. Collect races the players want to play prior to writing the campaign. Ask for a few so you can work around their wants. I got.. Half-Drow......Khoraith (Druid) Half-Elf.........Linthal Airar (Ranger) Human..........Zelmeith Merdir (Ranger) Human..........Jiben Jethwar (Fighter/Ranger) Human..........Nyrwin Nenbyr (Druid) Kobold..........Malakai (Ranger) Not your average party. I started two humans(Zelmeith and Jiben), the half-elf and the half-drow in a coastal city, where they trained at one of the best schools known. The half-drow was found just outside the city walls (about a day, actually) when he was about 4-7, no one really knows, but they can guess. In parenthesis is(are) the class(es) that the player wanted his character to go into, something I considered upon generation. So the Half-Drow was adopted by Jiben's family, Linthal changed his name to Bael Tardaad, Tardaad was his father's given name and upon birth Linthal's parents wanted him to have an elven name, not very much appreiciated by Linthal. Then he changed his first name to Bael for whatever reason. Nyrwin was on the islands mapping things for barbarian tribes, Malakai was in the mountains and decided to go exploring with a small band of other kobolds, blah blah blah. Pretty much, that was pre-campaign and we're just getting out of it now, after 3 or 4 sessions (I do one session with each group differently, so different players on different nights). It's kinda slow in the beginning, but after everyone's reached eachother and the campaign really gets going, my players and I agree that the pre-campaign is quite helpful in just getting a feel for your character. Maybe I went on too long about my own party... Hope it helped, Eli
Dragonsblood 10-13-05, 06:32 PM	What would be a fun first date? What is your idea of an ideal relationship? :dancin:
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz 10-13-05, 07:15 PM	Deluxe this is actually being used to shut one of my players who is a friend of mine up. He constantly complains about other players power gaming, complains of psionics being allowed, ect. So I came up with this chart and questionaire for my players. If they want to play some off the wall thing, go right ahead, but you have to do good on your background or else. Even if your character has amnesia, work out the history just don't use it in game.
Tarionz_Cousin 10-13-05, 11:00 PM	1. What does your character want inscribed on her tombstone? 2. What non-magical item(s) does your character like, cherish, and avoid? For example, does he have any sentimental keepsakes? 3. What annoys your character? 4. How does your character feel about pets? Horses? Domesticated animals? Animals kept in a zoo? 5. If your character were starving, cold, and homeless, what would she do to survive? Beg? Steal? Murder?
Gallameed 10-13-05, 11:11 PM	What year was your character born in? Whats his/her birthday? This is good for worlds with detailed time lines like FR, or if you keep a calendar for the campaign. My players sometimes pick their own RL birthday and have their character share it so its easy to remember in game. Sometimes it can really have an effect in game as a character may be born in "the year of the broken lance" or something and that might have importance to the character concept. It could be an omen or have religious meaning.
tuffn00gies 10-13-05, 11:19 PM	I'd make Goals and Adventuring worth far more points. On Friends and Family, being an orphan with no siblings is worth 0 points!
guru7892 10-14-05, 12:10 AM	I'd make Goals and Adventuring worth far more points. On Friends and Family, being an orphan with no siblings is worth 0 points! well, what if they talk about orphanige life and their close freinds and mentors?
Morka 10-14-05, 10:03 AM	Check the links in my sig, especially the one with 100 questions for a character background, it should give you some ideas!
Dragon_loving_DM 10-14-05, 01:04 PM	Great Idea and all for making a background...but don't you think your over doing it a bit much...I mean I want to play the game and know just as much as the next guy but to sit and write an essay on my character...My biggest question (and if answered in the way I think it will be will basically kill this post is) DO you only make them do this for higher level characters...cause the whole indepth background would get annoying for lower level PC's (I'ld say anything below lv4) If it is just for higher level characters ignore this post but if it's for lower levels too please explain your logic because any pc below fourth or so level is basically wicked young just on principal...
prettyripples 10-14-05, 01:12 PM	any pc below fourth or so level is basically wicked young just on principal... By 4th level you're pretty special, actually - sure, there are others like you, but you're tough, physically developed, certainly fully adult... if you're a dwarf, you're probably edging 50. An elf is far over a hundred, and the youngest L1 character the PHb will let you play is a 15-yr-old half-orc (humans must be 16+). Now sure, you'll have seen a lot more of the world by the time you're level twenty, but there's a good chunk of life - probably more in terms of time - gone by before you hit level 1, let alone level 4. Pretending you're "born special" is just the kind of thing this guy's questionairre is meant to prevent.
Dragon_loving_DM 10-14-05, 01:23 PM	>.< DOH I forgot about that...I've been playing with humans for a while now and compleatly forgot that elves and dwarves would be older...point taken...But I wonder...honestly before your PC started really s/he was just a kid all accounts considered (elf dwarf ect..) odds are you helped at home or in the family shop so as far as most of the questions go one would have to answer as if they were a kid...because correct me if I'm wrong but before you start adventuring unless theres some reason your a lot older you would basically be treated as a kid by your own races rules...I may just be horriblly mixed up and if so please forgive me I'm just trying to see the point in doing this for all PC's even those on the lower teirs or the game...(BTW I did just wake up and I'm trying to jumpstart my brain.... <_<)
prettyripples 10-14-05, 02:19 PM	Uh, yeah sorry Dragon-loving DM I guess I was a little harsh. I've been awake all day, so I'm tired and snappy. If you're used to playing as humans then I'll admit they are quite a bit younger - although I still find there's usually been some caravan guarding / mage school attending / lifetime devotion to Pelor that can make more interesting background than helping at home. After all, if you can reach level 1 by helping at home for 15 years, how could any adventurer expect to be "average" until they'd reached level 5 or so - let alone the kind of person a town would take their troubles to. There's almost always a reason to start adventuring, and then a period of "training", even if that's simply hanging out with dad the hunter or a three-year stint in the town watch. Both of those should be highlights of any background. Then you have your hometown, your family, your character... trust me, there's plenty to write about. On the other hand, some of level 10 or above would probably say "Well, I mucked around at home for a while, and then..." insert adventures here.
twelvedrunkenmonkeyz 10-15-05, 06:54 PM	Actually DLDM yes I make them do it for all their characters, but there are some things that should be noted. I rarely start the group off lower then 2-4th lv (usually 3rd). Also this encourages role-playing rather then roll-playing, as your character becomes a little more special when you do this. Another thing I would like to add, is I do this to make my characters think before they just make up any character. PHB material and Campaign Setting material (races and classes) requires you only score 30 points on the background. Now as the stuff becomes more optional it becomes more important that you come up with a good background. My players actually like it, someone the other day asked what do they get if they actually score 160+ points on the background. I said I don't count on you doing it but we'll handle this when we get there. This is my way of makin' my players earn their PCs. If you can't score thirty points on the background, don't play at my table. Everyone loves my game, hell last night only 2 people got into any kind of combat and everyone loved the game. I also do this for sub-plots and role-playing for my group. Character goes through his hometown and runs into his brother who he thought died in the Last War (I use Eberron setting), come to find out his brother is dead, and its a changling that took his place. I mean the questionaire is good because this way my players can't say I want to play a Warlock. I'll be like ok, give me a good background, and they do. This is why I use the questionaire. With benifits comes penalties. In my game benifit is you can play almost any class. Penalty, you have to work for any of the optional stuff.