The
100 Most Important Things To Know About Your Character (revised)
by Beth Kinderman and Nikki
Walker
In the more recent past,
we've also found that answering those annoying online personality quizzes in-character
can sometimes lead to interesting revelations. When you find yourself sitting in front of your computer screen wondering,
"Hmm, if my character was a pair of shoes, would she be stiletto heels, Nikes,
Doc Martens, or Birkenstocks?" you know you're really getting to know her
(or that you've become an even bigger geek than you were to begin with). Emode.com
and TheSpark.com are good places to
start.
And, because I've gotten
flames about it: No, we do not mean to imply that slavishly following this list
is the only way you will ever truly develop your character. If you think we're boring, obnoxious, or
presumptuous, just think about the questions you like, and you don't even have
to consider the rest (yeah, we know it's kind of a long list). Or better yet, ignore us entirely and find
your own ways to develop characters.
Just don't email us specifically to tell us how much we suck. That only results in cranky gamerchicks.
Some of these questions were
stolen from the Character Questionnaire at www.roleplayingtips.com. Check it out, it's a really great website.
- Beth
1.
What
is your full name?
2.
Where
and when were you born?
3.
Who
are/were your parents? (Know their
names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
4.
Do
you have any siblings? What are/were
they like?
5.
Where
do you live now, and with whom?
Describe the place and the person/people.
6.
What
is your occupation?
7.
Write
a full physical description of yourself.
You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair
and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
8.
To
which social class do you belong?
9.
Do
you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
10. Are you right- or
left-handed?
11. What does your voice sound
like?
12. What words and/or phrases do
you use very frequently?
13. What do you have in your
pockets?
14. Do you have any quirks, strange
mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
15. How would you describe your
childhood in general?
16. What is your earliest
memory?
17. How much schooling have you
had?
18. Did you enjoy school?
19. Where did you learn most of
your skills and other abilities?
20. While growing up, did you
have any role models? If so, describe
them.
21. While growing up, how did
you get along with the other members of your family?
22. As a child, what did you
want to be when you grew up?
23. As a child, what were your
favorite activities?
24. As a child, what kinds of
personality traits did you display?
25. As a child, were you
popular? Who were your friends, and
what were they like?
26. When and with whom was your first
kiss?
27. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your
virginity?
28. If you are a supernatural
being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you
are or first learned of your own abilities.
If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past
that led you to do the things you do today.
29. What do you consider the
most important event of your life so far?
30. Who has had the most
influence on you?
31. What do you consider your
greatest achievement?
32. What is your greatest
regret?
33. What is the most evil thing
you have ever done?
34. Do you have a criminal
record of any kind?
35. When was the time you were
the most frightened?
36. What is the most
embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?
37. If you could change one
thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
38. What is your best memory?
39. What is your worst memory?
40. Are you basically optimistic
or pessimistic?
41. What is your greatest fear?
42. What are your religious
views?
43. What are your political
views?
44. What are your views on sex?
45. Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing
to be acceptable or unacceptable?
46. In your opinion, what is the
most evil thing any human being could do?
47. Do you believe in the
existence of soul mates and/or true love?
48. What do you believe makes a
successful life?
49. How honest are you about
your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in
what way)?
50. Do you have any biases or
prejudices?
51. Is there anything you
absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?
52. Who or what, if anything,
would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?
53. In general, how do you treat
others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending
on how well you know them, and if so, how?
54. Who is the most important
person in your life, and why?
55. Who is the person you
respect the most, and why?
56. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.
57. Do you have a spouse or
significant other? If so, describe this
person.
58. Have you ever been in
love? If so, describe what happened.
59. What do you look for in a
potential lover?
60. How close are you to your
family?
61. Have you started your own
family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?
62. Who would you turn to if you
were in desperate need of help?
63. Do you trust anyone to
protect you? Who, and why?
64. If you died or went missing,
who would miss you?
65. Who is the person you
despise the most, and why?
66. Do you tend to argue with
people, or avoid conflict?
67. Do you tend to take on
leadership roles in social situations?
68. Do you like interacting with
large groups of people? Why or why not?
69. Do you care what others
think of you?
70. What is/are your favorite hobbies
and pastimes?
71. What is your most treasured
possession?
72. What is your favorite color?
73. What is your favorite food?
74. What, if anything, do you
like to read?
75. What is your idea of good
entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?
76. Do you smoke, drink, or use
drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?
77. How do you spend a typical
Saturday night?
78. What makes you laugh?
79. What, if anything, shocks or
offends you?
80. What would you do if you had
insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?
81. How do you deal with stress?
82. Are you spontaneous, or do
you always need to have a plan?
83. What are your pet peeves?
84. Describe the routine of a
normal day for you. How do you feel
when this routine is disrupted?
85. What is your greatest
strength as a person?
86. What is your greatest weakness?
87. If you could change one
thing about yourself, what would it be?
88. Are you generally
introverted or extroverted?
89. Are you generally organized
or messy?
90. Name three things you
consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to
be very bad at.
91. Do you like yourself?
92. What are your reasons for
being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters
do)? Are your real reasons for doing
this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons...)
93. What goal do you most want
to accomplish in your lifetime?
94. Where do you see yourself in
5 years?
95. If you could choose, how
would you want to die?
96. If you knew you were going
to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
97. What is the one thing for
which you would most like to be remembered after your death?
98. What three words best
describe your personality?
99. What three words would
others probably use to describe you?
100. If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character? (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice...)
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