I do want to stress that D&D is as much as you want it to be. Don't feel like you have to go super deep and write pages and pages of character backstory. If you are that type, by all means go for it! If you are more like me, an outline type person, that's great too. There is no wrong answer to your character, but some will be easier to live than others. Some people like to just make themselves in character form and react as they themselves would and some like to pretend to be the opposite of themselves (my party paladin is an example of this). Some just want a random character given to them so they can be an actor in a film if you will. There is no wrong answer here. D&D does like you to pick some background personality traits because this makes characters more real people with faults and goals in life. This is where you can get some fun group dianamics with a straight laced too by the book follow all the rules character and a kloptomanic that lock picks and steals everything. Do think about how your character is going to interact with others. Sure you can make a true evil bad guy but don't be surprised when you end up getting the group killed or become the villian of the story.
My biggest suggestion for anybody who wants to play or may want to play, to go ahead and start looking at classes and races and deciding what kind of character you want to play. There are places that will give you random ideas if you don't want to be super cliché. I'll try and find some resources and post them. DD Beyond does have breakdowns of at least some of the classes. There are other places too. If anybody has better suggestions. I will try to do any example character build and what that could look like soonish.
I will also work up some basic info on character alignments (good, nuetral, evil, etc.) As well as how you can use your character's states the help with their personality. Example, my party paladin is super charismatic, but has very low intelligence. She says the words Like and Oh my God and For Reals a lot.
My biggest suggestion for anybody who wants to play or may want to play, to go ahead and start looking at classes and races and deciding what kind of character you want to play. There are places that will give you random ideas if you don't want to be super cliché. I'll try and find some resources and post them. DD Beyond does have breakdowns of at least some of the classes. There are other places too. If anybody has better suggestions. I will try to do any example character build and what that could look like soonish.
I will also work up some basic info on character alignments (good, nuetral, evil, etc.) As well as how you can use your character's states the help with their personality. Example, my party paladin is super charismatic, but has very low intelligence. She says the words Like and Oh my God and For Reals a lot.
Who the fuck is my #DND character?
A DND character backstory generator

This is just a fun one to get some wonderful random ideas for characters. Might end with a most eclectic group of murder hobos though.
That was fun. I got some good ones. My favorite is either the one with the enchanted legs or the last one. I have a feeling, however, people will want me to be the one with literacy issuesWho the fuck is my #DND character?
A DND character backstory generatorwhothefuckismydndcharacter.com
This is just a fun one to get some wonderful random ideas for characters. Might end with a most eclectic group of murder hobos though.
Attachments
@VashTheStampede @Christina
I don't know the etiquette in D&D so please school me. When I think of D&D, I think of making a wacky character that adds to the silliness and enjoyment of the game, using unique and creative ways to escape from different situations. That sounds fun.
But apparently there are other people who play as some sort of self-insert escapist power fantasy.
If my character were a smelly grass whistle-playing pants less hippy bard who communes with animals and swears off violence, would a character like that add to the enjoyment of the game for people, or would my antics detract from the game's enjoyment for most people by making the game/situations more unorthodox?
I don't know the etiquette in D&D so please school me. When I think of D&D, I think of making a wacky character that adds to the silliness and enjoyment of the game, using unique and creative ways to escape from different situations. That sounds fun.
But apparently there are other people who play as some sort of self-insert escapist power fantasy.
If my character were a smelly grass whistle-playing pants less hippy bard who communes with animals and swears off violence, would a character like that add to the enjoyment of the game for people, or would my antics detract from the game's enjoyment for most people by making the game/situations more unorthodox?
VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
In my experience it's up to the party what kind of game they want. The DM can have all the intentions in the world of running a grimdark Soulslike experience....but once the party decides to wear underwear as hats and chuck pancakes at the Big Bad, all bets are off.@VashTheStampede @Christina
I don't know the etiquette in D&D so please school me. When I think of D&D, I think of making a wacky character that adds to the silliness and enjoyment of the game, using unique and creative ways to escape from different situations. That sounds fun.
But apparently there are other people who play as some sort of self-insert escapist power fantasy.
If my character were a smelly grass whistle-playing pants less hippy bard who communes with animals and swears off violence, would a character like that add to the enjoyment of the game for people, or would my antics detract from the game's enjoyment for most people by making the game/situations more unorthodox?
So its really all about checking with your team. Games usually have a Session Zero before starting to work that stuff out.
It depends on the group as a whole. I can tell you, you would fit in great with my party paladin. Her god is that of party and festivities. So while she is a paladin, following the "law" of her god is often inflows lots of debotory. Thus our characters could do a lot of drugs together and would probably eat every mushroom we come across.@VashTheStampede @Christina
I don't know the etiquette in D&D so please school me. When I think of D&D, I think of making a wacky character that adds to the silliness and enjoyment of the game, using unique and creative ways to escape from different situations. That sounds fun.
But apparently there are other people who play as some sort of self-insert escapist power fantasy.
If my character were a smelly grass whistle-playing pants less hippy bard who communes with animals and swears off violence, would a character like that add to the enjoyment of the game for people, or would my antics detract from the game's enjoyment for most people by making the game/situations more unorthodox?
Vash loves creativity and good story telling more than anything.
okay okayIn my experience it's up to the party what kind of game they want. The DM can have all the intentions in the world of running a grimdark Soulslike experience....but once the party decides to wear underwear as hats and chuck pancakes at the Big Bad, all bets are off.
So its really all about checking with your team. Games usually have a Session Zero before starting to work that stuff out.
I'm now accepting applications to join my rag-tag group of fairweather adventurers, barefoot beat poets, and professional loiterers.
Your application is to be accepted in the form of a flower
Okay forget the application process I just proposed; I'm applying to join your troupeIt depends on the group as a whole. I can tell you, you would fit in great with my party paladin. Her god is that of party and festivities. So while she is a paladin, following the "law" of her god is often inflows lots of debotory. Thus our characters could do a lot of drugs together and would probably eat every mushroom we come across.
Vash loves creativity and good story telling more than anything.
okay okay
I'm now accepting applications to join my rag-tag group of fairweather adventurers, barefoot beat poets, and professional loiterers.
Your application is to be accepted in the form of a flower

welcome to our jolly band
what is your special skill? I can make shoelaces out of grass
My shrug of deception. I can just say "no u" and enemies will attack themselves for a turn.welcome to our jolly band
what is your special skill? I can make shoelaces out of grass
VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
My shrug of deception. I can just say "no u" and enemies will attack themselves for a turn.

VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
Thankfully I know of a bar in Waterdeep with a certain yawning portal in it...We are the people that end up hanging out at the bar the whole time because we have nobody to drag us out and make us do anything.
Also @VashTheStampede based on your response, it seems like shit like my shrug of deception is a welcome addition to gameplay
Now I'm going to spend an afternoon finding what spell that could be. My first thought was charm person, but I don't think you can make that person attack their friends with that spell.Also @VashTheStampede based on your response, it seems like shit like my shrug of deception is a welcome addition to gameplay
So I think before I posted in PIMI (or at least early on) I participated in some sort of role play/fan fiction. I don't remember at all who posted with me, but we all made characters, created back stories, and posted what they did in the world, and slowly integrated their stories together into a larger narrative.
I still remember my character - Ryo, swung a big double sided axe.
I think I had him die and introduced another character but I don't remember. That's the extent of my memories with this and also the extent of any sort of D&D adjacent thing.
I still remember my character - Ryo, swung a big double sided axe.
I think I had him die and introduced another character but I don't remember. That's the extent of my memories with this and also the extent of any sort of D&D adjacent thing.
I doubt anything was saved in way back machine or anything, and I kind of hope it's totally lost because I'm sure it's quite embarrassing, as I was 13 or soSo I think before I posted in PIMI (or at least early on) I participated in some sort of role play/fan fiction. I don't remember at all who posted with me, but we all made characters, created back stories, and posted what they did in the world, and slowly integrated their stories together into a larger narrative.
I still remember my character - Ryo, swung a big double sided axe.
I think I had him die and introduced another character but I don't remember. That's the extent of my memories with this and also the extent of any sort of D&D adjacent thing.
Dude, Clubs & Clans Wars existed... Lots of us are embarrassed about our teenage years.I doubt anything was saved in way back machine or anything, and I kind of hope it's totally lost because I'm sure it's quite embarrassing, as I was 13 or so
VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
Okay I got it. I have an enchanted hammer. Just a regular size one you'd hit nails with. No extra attack or anything.
But anything I hit that contains any sort of fruit instantly has the fruit ferment.
The hammer of fermentation: helping people get hammered since 1969.

You said the hammer was regular sized. Not that you were.
(This was my brief attempt to make you Alvin the Chipmunk to get the giant A on your shirt, but I ain't fixing it.)
I'm gonna quit wasting time, but by golly I'll be doing this more if we get this thing off the ground...
VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
*whenI'm gonna quit wasting time, but by golly I'll be doing this more if we get this thing off the ground...
I'm fully invested at this point
This goes well with @Cole describing how tall I am.View attachment 5091
You said the hammer was regular sized. Not that you were.
(This was my brief attempt to make you Alvin the Chipmunk to get the giant A on your shirt, but I ain't fixing it.)
I'm gonna quit wasting time, but by golly I'll be doing this more if we get this thing off the ground...
*when
I'm fully invested at this point

Damn.I lied, I had to do one more, but @shortkut as a resentful human rogue from an unboatable island with enchanted wooden legs came out looking unnecessarily dope...
View attachment 5092
Okay @shortkut you need to be in at this point. No going back.

Also realized it makes sense for these two characters to hang out.View attachment 5091
You said the hammer was regular sized. Not that you were.
(This was my brief attempt to make you Alvin the Chipmunk to get the giant A on your shirt, but I ain't fixing it.)
I'm gonna quit wasting time, but by golly I'll be doing this more if we get this thing off the ground...
It looks like Kelly probably made kutshort his legs. I'm sure you provided the anesthesia.Also realized it makes sense for these two characters to hang out.
You basically already have your back stories you guys must play!
Screw it, this is my character, no re-rollingI lied, I had to do one more, but @shortkut as a resentful human rogue from an unboatable island with enchanted wooden legs came out looking unnecessarily dope...
View attachment 5092
Kut ate an apple pie and I hit his shoulder with the hammer. Instant drunk.It looks like Kelly probably made kutshort his legs. I'm sure you provided the anesthesia.
You basically already have your back stories you guys must play!
Or you tapped the apple pie before I ate itKut ate an apple pie and I hit his shoulder with the hammer. Instant drunk.
My magic wood allows for infiniteYou think you've seen trauma? Wait until someone loses a character that's gone through 3 campaigns and lived and loved and lost for an entire lifetime.
I'll show you trauma.
VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
Your magic wood causes you to arise each morningMy magic wood allows for infinite respawns
You just have 37 children and need to adventure to afford to pay child support.My magic wood allows for infiniterespawns
You quoted while I was editing. Same train of thoughtYour magic wood causes you to arise each morning
Or to avoid payingYou just have 37 children and need to adventure to afford to pay child support.
VashTheStampede
Dumdum McGee
For the newbies: THIS IS A LEGITIMATE BACKSTORY TO HAVEYou just have 37 children and need to adventure to afford to pay child support.
I'm just setting precedent for being able to get people drunk in various ways.Or you tapped the apple pie before I ate it