Wiki: New Character Questions

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20+ Questions (by Ron)

This is a list of questions that can be valuable to RPG game masters. It's loosely based on some questions in Shadowrun, plus some questions I found online.

Name

  • What's the player's name?
  • What was the character's birth name?
  • What name does the character use now?
  • Did the character choose his name, or was it a nickname or joke?

Description

  • What is the character's gender? (male/female)
  • What is the character's physical size and description? (i.e. skinny, short, average, etc.)
  • What is the color of the character's...
    • Hair?
    • Skin?
    • Eyes?
  • How is the hair worn?
  • Does the character need glasses?
  • What is the character's Ethnic Origins? (game-dependent, obviously)
  • What is the character's general appearance?
  • What is the first thing people notice about the character?
  • Where was the character born?
  • What is the character's age?

Family

  • Did the character even know his/her birth family?
    • (if not, answer these about the surrogate family)
  • What was the character's family?
  • Who were the character's parents?
  • What did the character's parents do?
  • What were their means of support?
  • Were the parents married, separated, divorced, widowed, other (explain)?
  • What was family life like?
  • What was the family's disposition? (street, squatter, Low, Middle, High, Luxury)
  • Does the character have any siblings?
    • Where are they now?
    • What do they do?
    • Does the character keep in contact with them?
  • Is (or was) the character single, married, divorced, widowed, other (explain)?
  • Does the character have any children?
    • Name(s)?
    • Descriptions?
    • Current statuses?

Education

  • Where or how was the character educated?
  • Where did the character learn their skills?
  • Did the character continue into higher education?
    • If yes, where?
  • Was schooling public, private, trade, tutored, homeschooled?
  • Has the character ever done anything else for a living?
    • Did the character enjoy it?
    • Why did the character stop doing it?
    • Would the character go back?

Political and religious beliefs

  • Does the character have any defined political beliefs?
    • What are they?
  • Is the character religious?
    • What is the character's beliefs?
  • Was the character's family religious?
    • Are they still?
    • If they are (or were) which religion(s) did they follow?
  • Has the character changed religions?
    • Why?

Moral Code

  • Will the character kill a human(oid)?
  • When did the character decide that he could?
  • Does the character think that killing human(oid)s is acceptable?
  • Under what circumstances would the character kill a human(oid)?
  • Does the character have any opinions on moral issues such as capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia?
    • What are they?
  • Does the character adhere to a personal sexual code?

Personality

  • What special qualities does the character possess?
    • Does the character get along well with people?
    • Is the character skilled at taking care of business?
    • Prioritizing tasks?
    • Planning ahead?
  • Are there things that the character just cannot do?
    • Get close to people?
    • Perceive himself realistically?
    • Work well with others?
    • Think clearly under stress?
    • Handle money well?)
  • What does the character hate?
    • Certain people?
    • Religion?
    • Other adventurers?
    • Orks?
    • Politicians?
    • Society in general?
    • Obscene amounts of personal questions?
  • What does the character love?
    • The seashore?
    • The view from tall buildings?
    • Quiet times?
    • Loud music?
    • Art?
    • Taking care of business?
    • A specific person?
    • A certain place?

Miscellaneous

  • Is adventuring all the character ever wants to do?
  • Does the character have any ambitions beyond the here and now?
    • If yes, what?
    • If not, why not?
  • How did the character become an adventurer?
  • Does the character do it for the thrill? Money? To make a statement? As part of a plan? To piss people off?
  • Would any event or circumstances make the character stop adventuring?