Character Inspiration

I put this quick and dirty page together if you need inspiration for a new character. It could also work well for npc's.

Note that just one of these entries does not make a character but a few of them together could lead to more ideas and a well rounded character.

Appearance

Physical defect; missing or non-working body part, etc.

Remarkable appearance; strange markings, very specific tattoos, etc.

Unique style; clothes, hair, fighting, casting, speaking, etc.

Motivations

“A voice speaks to me”; deity, other entities, all imagined, etc. Also a personality trait.

“I can’t be saved but I’ve made it my mission to save others”; everyone or a specific class/race/gender/age group/etc. And why can't you be saved?

Multiple (actual) personalities in one body. Also a personality trait.

“My death has been foretold, I couldn’t be more free”; daredevil, ‘don’t give a fuck’, without a care, etc. What happens if the foretold seems to near?

On a spirit quest; told to do what? Bathe in all rivers in the country? Find the White Hart? Careful this does not become a long term thing. Could work well if you get a new destination every time you do the last one, could even help the DM.

Seeking forgiveness for terrible event in your past; from a specific person or just trying to regain karma?

Something to prove; to yourself or others (the haters, your sibling who was always better than you at everything, your parent or teacher who said you’d never amount to anything, the romantic interest who declined your advances). What specifically are you trying to prove? Certain skill, martial prowess, etc.

“This one time I was exploring/fighting/etc. I had a moment of perfect happiness/contentment/etc. I must find it again.”

Undercover; actually a spy or agent for some entity; hard to justify for a full campaign though. Being discovered could be a fun adventure that leads to new motivations.

Writer; looking for inspiration, battling writer’s block, publishing party’s adventures, etc.

Past

Banished or exiled; why were you kicked out? If you want to get back in good graces that might be a motivation.

Bearer of; family heirloom, curse, reputation you did or did not earn, etc. Could be hard to live up to or makes you overconfident.

Clone/simulacrum of someone; are you really or is it all in your head? If real, do you have their memories, are they looking for you?

Escaped convict; are they still looking, what can you expect if caught?

Fallen from grace; what did you do and do you want to fix it, if possible?

Fleeing destiny back home; heir to something, becoming the next leader, have to sacrifice something, etc.

Fleeing from family; arranged marriage, their bad reputation, a blood feud, etc.

Joined the circus; just a silly one but many options here.

Mentor or parent who still keeps in contact or makes themselves known in some way.

Mentor or parent with class totally unlike yours; divine caster teaching a mage, Paladin raising a Barbarian, etc.

Stole someone’s identity; why and why are you still pretending to be them? Who are they? Do they know?

Upbringing; by different race, privileged, utter poverty, away from civilization, home schooled, etc.

Veteran; war hero (justified or the reverse?), draft dodger, AWOL, war profiteer, coward, etc.

Personality traits

Addict; either makes bad decisions because high/drunk, or always needs money to feed the habit.

Casanova; can cause lots of problems when going after the wrong person.

Hedonist; seeking pleasure can be real expensive and get you in trouble.

Memory loss; full, partial, or brainwashed? Temporary or returning with events happening?

Unorthodox spellcaster; witch, hedge mage, shaman, etc. Cast spells different from others or spellbook consists of lots of ropes with beads or knots.

Quote

"The main three rules of all storytelling: who wants what, why can't they have it, and why do I give a shit?"     -- John Rogers