The thing is that the character back story is only important to two people -- the owning player, and the DM. The owning player cares because, well, it's his or her character. The DM cares because the background may impact what stories are being told or what adventures are being written up, or what NPCs are going to make their appearance. But the reality is that none of the other players at the table cares about your character's backstory. I mean, they might be mildly curious about it, and ask with some mild interest in the expectation of getting a sentence or three in response. But nobody really wants to hear your character's single-spaced 12 page backstory. Players care about their own character, not yours.
And that's why one shouldn't make an overly involved backstory -- since nobody cares about it but you (and the DM, perhaps, depending on the DM), if you make up this huge backstory and then expect to get everyone to RP about it, they won't like it, and they won't want to. No, they really won't. Why? Because RPing about your character's backstory makes your character the star of the show. But your character shouldn't be the star of the show, and every time your character is front and center, everyone else's character has been sidelined.
As a player, one should seek ways to make the whole group involved. And focusing on your character's backstory does not get the whole group involved. Rather, it sidelines the rest of the group to put your character front and center.
This is why I advise -- short, sweet, simple backstory that leaves a lot of future development options open, and provides a solid reason for "why this character is going on adventures." That's it. Leave the rest up to future RP. If your "backstory" is the level 1-5 game, that the other players participated in, they will care about it, because it's not just your story -- it's theirs. If your backstory instead is some long complicated thing that happened before their characters ever met yours, they're not going to care.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Run them through the "Building Character" backstory generator from Dragon Magazine Issue 422. Ignore the proficiency bits if any come up, but a run or two through those tables will very easily get a good solid base backstory that can fit into just about any game and leave enough open for you, as the DM, to play with as needed.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
For example, have an NPC ask the character, "So, where are you from? What's your story?"
If the player has the character say something like, "I don't have one" then have the NPC react appropriately. Perhaps suspicious ("I don't trust a man with no past."), perhaps sarcastic ("Really, you just sprung into existance fully formed as an adult? Remarkable!"), perhaps brushing it aside ("Well, I see you are not someone worth my time talking to.").
Have the NPC first ask the character that you, as GM, know the player has a backstory. This gives the other players a bit of time to think something up.
However, don't sweat it. As Vince said above, "Char is the 3rd son of loving parents who left his small village to make his fame and fortune. The end." is fine.
The thing is that the character back story is only important to two people -- the owning player, and the DM. The owning player cares because, well, it's his or her character. The DM cares because the background may impact what stories are being told or what adventures are being written up, or what NPCs are going to make their appearance. But the reality is that none of the other players at the table cares about your character's backstory. I mean, they might be mildly curious about it, and ask with some mild interest in the expectation of getting a sentence or three in response. But nobody really wants to hear your character's single-spaced 12 page backstory. Players care about their own character, not yours.
And that's why one shouldn't make an overly involved backstory -- since nobody cares about it but you (and the DM, perhaps, depending on the DM), if you make up this huge backstory and then expect to get everyone to RP about it, they won't like it, and they won't want to. No, they really won't. Why? Because RPing about your character's backstory makes your character the star of the show. But your character shouldn't be the star of the show, and every time your character is front and center, everyone else's character has been sidelined.
As a player, one should seek ways to make the whole group involved. And focusing on your character's backstory does not get the whole group involved. Rather, it sidelines the rest of the group to put your character front and center.
This is why I advise -- short, sweet, simple backstory that leaves a lot of future development options open, and provides a solid reason for "why this character is going on adventures." That's it. Leave the rest up to future RP. If your "backstory" is the level 1-5 game, that the other players participated in, they will care about it, because it's not just your story -- it's theirs. If your backstory instead is some long complicated thing that happened before their characters ever met yours, they're not going to care.
I have always been interested in the backstory of the other PCs in my group, because it affects how I interact with them. it doesn't have to be a long, drawn out backstory and I don't have to learn it all at once, but I really like the RP aspects of the game as much as the combat. Some of my best memories are of our group RPing away.
I would be wary of blanket statements about who plays the game and how they play it.
And even if you do make a huge backstory, so what? That doesn't mean you expect every other player and the DM to know it to the last detail. if it helps you enjoy the game, then it is worth it.
And even if you do make a huge backstory, so what? That doesn't mean you expect every other player and the DM to know it to the last detail. if it helps you enjoy the game, then it is worth it.
I have found that those that write enormous backstories are invariably thinking "I am really a frustrated writer". I know I have fallen into that category (but I was actually published in a university press).
If you write a huge backstory, always remember it is for you, and you alone. Even your DM does not want to read an opus, let alone the other players. It is hugely selfish to expect anyone to read your material. If you feel the overwhelming urge to write pages and pages, then get serious about it, flesh it it out into a short story, and try to get published.
And even if you do make a huge backstory, so what? That doesn't mean you expect every other player and the DM to know it to the last detail. if it helps you enjoy the game, then it is worth it.
I have found that those that write enormous backstories are invariably thinking "I am really a frustrated writer". I know I have fallen into that category (but I was actually published in a university press).
If you write a huge backstory, always remember it is for you, and you alone. Even your DM does not want to read an opus, let alone the other players. It is hugely selfish to expect anyone to read your material. If you feel the overwhelming urge to write pages and pages, then get serious about it, flesh it it out into a short story, and try to get published.
Again, you make assumptions. I may make a huge backstory for myself, and myself alone. I am not a frustrated writer, and if I write a multi-volume backstory, why do I need to get it published? And again, that doesn't mean the DM needs to read it, but during the course of a long campaign, parts of it may come out, or be usable by the DM.
"Hey Merigold, how many siblings do you have and what are their names?" "2 - I brother and 1 sister. Their names are Oakley and Iris, and they are 2 and 3 years younger than me." "Well...<DM folds this into storyline..."
The reason I bring this up is that in my current campaign, our Blood Hunter is basically out to avenge his father. He had no info on where his family lived in the Moonshaes, his father's name, etc. New player, so totally understandable, but I had to make it up for/with him as part of the story line. Worked out well - we really incorporated it into his character, but far easier to do if he had a little more backstory.
I'm currently trying to set up a campaign with my friends who are relatively new to TTRPG's and I'm also new to DM'ing. How do I get my friends to write backstories I can work into my campaign?
If they are new to TTRPGs then don't, not in session 0 or 1, get them to roll up the character stats and then start playing.
My rule of thumb is that the first 3 levels at least of DnD characters are not engaged in back story stuff, they are forming a party, making a bit of coin and trying to survive, give them some adventures and encounters and just let your players enjoy the game and experience rolling dice. You don't need a deep backstory for this.
As this progresses then get them to backstory by stealth, so session 3-4 as they are enjoying it give them homework for the endof the session.
"Right you have been your characters for a few sessions now so i want you all to think of the following and message me with it next time.
Where are you from Your parents name and profession Why you are adventuring
leave it at that for now, and then start talking to them individually but, I will say, I have run campaigns that went from level 1-20 where the players had no backstory, the whole campaign worked out on what was in front of them and what they had done in the campaign to date, none of them "made up" a past or history that predated the start of session 1.
The thing is that the character back story is only important to two people -- the owning player, and the DM. The owning player cares because, well, it's his or her character. The DM cares because the background may impact what stories are being told or what adventures are being written up, or what NPCs are going to make their appearance. But the reality is that none of the other players at the table cares about your character's backstory. I mean, they might be mildly curious about it, and ask with some mild interest in the expectation of getting a sentence or three in response. But nobody really wants to hear your character's single-spaced 12 page backstory. Players care about their own character, not yours.
And that's why one shouldn't make an overly involved backstory -- since nobody cares about it but you (and the DM, perhaps, depending on the DM), if you make up this huge backstory and then expect to get everyone to RP about it, they won't like it, and they won't want to. No, they really won't. Why? Because RPing about your character's backstory makes your character the star of the show. But your character shouldn't be the star of the show, and every time your character is front and center, everyone else's character has been sidelined.
As a player, one should seek ways to make the whole group involved. And focusing on your character's backstory does not get the whole group involved. Rather, it sidelines the rest of the group to put your character front and center.
This is why I advise -- short, sweet, simple backstory that leaves a lot of future development options open, and provides a solid reason for "why this character is going on adventures." That's it. Leave the rest up to future RP. If your "backstory" is the level 1-5 game, that the other players participated in, they will care about it, because it's not just your story -- it's theirs. If your backstory instead is some long complicated thing that happened before their characters ever met yours, they're not going to care.
I have always been interested in the backstory of the other PCs in my group, because it affects how I interact with them. it doesn't have to be a long, drawn out backstory and I don't have to learn it all at once, but I really like the RP aspects of the game as much as the combat. Some of my best memories are of our group RPing away.
I would be wary of blanket statements about who plays the game and how they play it.
At my table all my players backstories are secret from each other unless the player/character chooses to share details, or they come out as part of the adventure. I will pull players into a seperete chat room on discord, or take them out of the room if a physical game, if one on one interactions happen that are back story related, allowing the player to decide what their other players know. If the characters don't know it, nor do the players.
The thing is that the character back story is only important to two people -- the owning player, and the DM. The owning player cares because, well, it's his or her character. The DM cares because the background may impact what stories are being told or what adventures are being written up, or what NPCs are going to make their appearance. But the reality is that none of the other players at the table cares about your character's backstory. I mean, they might be mildly curious about it, and ask with some mild interest in the expectation of getting a sentence or three in response. But nobody really wants to hear your character's single-spaced 12 page backstory. Players care about their own character, not yours.
And that's why one shouldn't make an overly involved backstory -- since nobody cares about it but you (and the DM, perhaps, depending on the DM), if you make up this huge backstory and then expect to get everyone to RP about it, they won't like it, and they won't want to. No, they really won't. Why? Because RPing about your character's backstory makes your character the star of the show. But your character shouldn't be the star of the show, and every time your character is front and center, everyone else's character has been sidelined.
As a player, one should seek ways to make the whole group involved. And focusing on your character's backstory does not get the whole group involved. Rather, it sidelines the rest of the group to put your character front and center.
This is why I advise -- short, sweet, simple backstory that leaves a lot of future development options open, and provides a solid reason for "why this character is going on adventures." That's it. Leave the rest up to future RP. If your "backstory" is the level 1-5 game, that the other players participated in, they will care about it, because it's not just your story -- it's theirs. If your backstory instead is some long complicated thing that happened before their characters ever met yours, they're not going to care.
I have always been interested in the backstory of the other PCs in my group, because it affects how I interact with them. it doesn't have to be a long, drawn out backstory and I don't have to learn it all at once, but I really like the RP aspects of the game as much as the combat. Some of my best memories are of our group RPing away.
I would be wary of blanket statements about who plays the game and how they play it.
At my table all my players backstories are secret from each other unless the player/character chooses to share details, or they come out as part of the adventure. I will pull players into a seperete chat room on discord, or take them out of the room if a physical game, if one on one interactions happen that are back story related, allowing the player to decide what their other players know. If the characters don't know it, nor do the players.
I like that! It is hard for players to separate what they know from what their characters knows - I think it takes really strong, experienced players to do that, and this is a good way to add some RPing realism to the game. "Your parents were murdered by orcs? I didn't know that, but that explains your hatred of them..." is great in a game!
Ask them why they picked their race and class. Based on their answers, think about where in your world that race is born or where that class gains their level 1 abilities. Invent a location and ask your player if they think their character could be from there. Let them know you're doing custom worldbuilding for their character. Ask them if they'd like to contribute any worldbuilding. Make sure they understand this gives them plot armor.
Rather than having them come up with a backstory that may or may not give you any actual hooks, you might just ask them to each come up with some hooks -- NPCs, motivations, sources of trouble, links to other PCs, etc.
Rather than having them come up with a backstory that may or may not give you any actual hooks, you might just ask them to each come up with some hooks -- NPCs, motivations, sources of trouble, links to other PCs, etc.
You can do that, although you risk the task of not being able to tie the hook into a cohesive storyline that explains how they met and joined together, and then you get the tried-and-true, "You are siting in a tavern and see a notice calling for adventurers..." thing.
Rereading this whole thread makes me prefer a short background for each of my player's characters with some specifics (family size, status, etc) but other things that I can insert as I need.
Encourage them to fill out the personality traits, ideals, flaws, and bonds sections using the suggested characteristics for their background. Some of these refer to specific individuals, items, or events, which you can use tp fill out the organizations, allies, and enemies sections. Have the player flesh out each of these entries. For example, "I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it." When and where was this defeat? What war was it a part of? What were the consequences? Did you lose a compatriot, or was a civilian loved one harmed? What armies were your allies and enemies? Was there one particular named enemy who your vendetta burns hottest against?
Are there any organizations or allies associated with your class. Any warlock needs to explain who their patron is and how they formed their pact. A rogue might be in a thieves' guild and a paladin should be in an order. A monk or wizard has studied with an individual teacher or school. A barbarian has a tribe. A bard has a college. A druid has a circle. A cleric has a church.
Don't worry about the backstory. Every single backstory can be summarized to: I was a nobody, now I'm not.
Caring about a "backstory" is a massive trap, because it has zero mechanical impact on the game, other than your background. In fact, your background IS your backstory. Don't really need to say any more.
I would also say -- a lot of people try to write a backstory like their PC is a character in a novel, or a movie. But most characters in a novel or a movie, unless you are reading/watching their origin story, have a large backstory because they are not level 1. They are already level 7 or something when you start the movie. So they need a backstory to explain how they got to be a marksman or a karate expert or what have you. If you are starting at level 1, then when your character gets to level 7, that level 1-6 game play *is* the backstory. There's no need to make up anything more involved.
If you look at Lord of the Rings -- the hobbits are all level 1 when they start out. Now, the Ring, and Middle Earth, had an extensive backstory. But the individual hobbits really didn't. Frodo's backstory is pretty simple -- he grew up in Hobbiton as a pretty typical hobbit, was a favorite of his rich crazy uncle Bilbo, and went to live with Uncle Bilbo as he got older. Then the Ring passed to him, and THEN his story started. You see it all happen "on screen" or "in novel." Nothing important that happens to Frodo -- or to Sam, Merry or Pippin -- happened *before* the LOTR books started.
Now, Aragorn and Gandalf and Boromir and such have more complex backstories. But they are not level 1 when they come into the story. Aragorn is a 20th level ranger when the level 3 hobbits meet him in Bree. And Gandalf is a level 30 epic wizard long before he meets Frodo. So they need backstories to explain their high-level-ness. But the hobbits, who are the only characters to start at "level 1" in LOTR, all start out with very simple backstories that you could tell in < 1 paragraph.
I don't know. I think the Hobbits have fairly rich backstories. Everything in Tolkien does. Bilbo has an enmity with the Sackville-Bagginses. Merry and Pippin are Frodo's distant cousins. They have frequently had run-ins with Farmer Maggot. Tooks are foolhardy. Merry is from the village near the ferry. Sam's father was the gardener before him. Sam has long had a crush on Rose Cotton.
The thing is that the character back story is only important to two people -- the owning player, and the DM. The owning player cares because, well, it's his or her character. The DM cares because the background may impact what stories are being told or what adventures are being written up, or what NPCs are going to make their appearance. But the reality is that none of the other players at the table cares about your character's backstory. I mean, they might be mildly curious about it, and ask with some mild interest in the expectation of getting a sentence or three in response. But nobody really wants to hear your character's single-spaced 12 page backstory. Players care about their own character, not yours.
And that's why one shouldn't make an overly involved backstory -- since nobody cares about it but you (and the DM, perhaps, depending on the DM), if you make up this huge backstory and then expect to get everyone to RP about it, they won't like it, and they won't want to. No, they really won't. Why? Because RPing about your character's backstory makes your character the star of the show. But your character shouldn't be the star of the show, and every time your character is front and center, everyone else's character has been sidelined.
As a player, one should seek ways to make the whole group involved. And focusing on your character's backstory does not get the whole group involved. Rather, it sidelines the rest of the group to put your character front and center.
This is why I advise -- short, sweet, simple backstory that leaves a lot of future development options open, and provides a solid reason for "why this character is going on adventures." That's it. Leave the rest up to future RP. If your "backstory" is the level 1-5 game, that the other players participated in, they will care about it, because it's not just your story -- it's theirs. If your backstory instead is some long complicated thing that happened before their characters ever met yours, they're not going to care.
On the other hand, one can try to do better as a team player, and RP against other players' backstories to support them having a good time. I try to at least react in character when a player is revealing backstory on an appropriate cue in the story.
Lots of people saying don't write pages of backstory. Who said you should? I usually write about two paragraphs for my characters. It's more than, "My parents were killed and I have a hard time trusting people," and less than a full novel that transpired before session 1.
The thing is that the character back story is only important to two people -- the owning player, and the DM. The owning player cares because, well, it's his or her character. The DM cares because the background may impact what stories are being told or what adventures are being written up, or what NPCs are going to make their appearance. But the reality is that none of the other players at the table cares about your character's backstory. I mean, they might be mildly curious about it, and ask with some mild interest in the expectation of getting a sentence or three in response. But nobody really wants to hear your character's single-spaced 12 page backstory. Players care about their own character, not yours.
And that's why one shouldn't make an overly involved backstory -- since nobody cares about it but you (and the DM, perhaps, depending on the DM), if you make up this huge backstory and then expect to get everyone to RP about it, they won't like it, and they won't want to. No, they really won't. Why? Because RPing about your character's backstory makes your character the star of the show. But your character shouldn't be the star of the show, and every time your character is front and center, everyone else's character has been sidelined.
As a player, one should seek ways to make the whole group involved. And focusing on your character's backstory does not get the whole group involved. Rather, it sidelines the rest of the group to put your character front and center.
This is why I advise -- short, sweet, simple backstory that leaves a lot of future development options open, and provides a solid reason for "why this character is going on adventures." That's it. Leave the rest up to future RP. If your "backstory" is the level 1-5 game, that the other players participated in, they will care about it, because it's not just your story -- it's theirs. If your backstory instead is some long complicated thing that happened before their characters ever met yours, they're not going to care.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Run them through the "Building Character" backstory generator from Dragon Magazine Issue 422. Ignore the proficiency bits if any come up, but a run or two through those tables will very easily get a good solid base backstory that can fit into just about any game and leave enough open for you, as the DM, to play with as needed.
Let it come out in play.
For example, have an NPC ask the character, "So, where are you from? What's your story?"
If the player has the character say something like, "I don't have one" then have the NPC react appropriately. Perhaps suspicious ("I don't trust a man with no past."), perhaps sarcastic ("Really, you just sprung into existance fully formed as an adult? Remarkable!"), perhaps brushing it aside ("Well, I see you are not someone worth my time talking to.").
Have the NPC first ask the character that you, as GM, know the player has a backstory. This gives the other players a bit of time to think something up.
However, don't sweat it. As Vince said above, "Char is the 3rd son of loving parents who left his small village to make his fame and fortune. The end." is fine.
I have always been interested in the backstory of the other PCs in my group, because it affects how I interact with them. it doesn't have to be a long, drawn out backstory and I don't have to learn it all at once, but I really like the RP aspects of the game as much as the combat. Some of my best memories are of our group RPing away.
I would be wary of blanket statements about who plays the game and how they play it.
And even if you do make a huge backstory, so what? That doesn't mean you expect every other player and the DM to know it to the last detail. if it helps you enjoy the game, then it is worth it.
I have found that those that write enormous backstories are invariably thinking "I am really a frustrated writer". I know I have fallen into that category (but I was actually published in a university press).
If you write a huge backstory, always remember it is for you, and you alone. Even your DM does not want to read an opus, let alone the other players. It is hugely selfish to expect anyone to read your material. If you feel the overwhelming urge to write pages and pages, then get serious about it, flesh it it out into a short story, and try to get published.
Again, you make assumptions. I may make a huge backstory for myself, and myself alone. I am not a frustrated writer, and if I write a multi-volume backstory, why do I need to get it published? And again, that doesn't mean the DM needs to read it, but during the course of a long campaign, parts of it may come out, or be usable by the DM.
"Hey Merigold, how many siblings do you have and what are their names?"
"2 - I brother and 1 sister. Their names are Oakley and Iris, and they are 2 and 3 years younger than me."
"Well...<DM folds this into storyline..."
The reason I bring this up is that in my current campaign, our Blood Hunter is basically out to avenge his father. He had no info on where his family lived in the Moonshaes, his father's name, etc. New player, so totally understandable, but I had to make it up for/with him as part of the story line. Worked out well - we really incorporated it into his character, but far easier to do if he had a little more backstory.
If they are new to TTRPGs then don't, not in session 0 or 1, get them to roll up the character stats and then start playing.
My rule of thumb is that the first 3 levels at least of DnD characters are not engaged in back story stuff, they are forming a party, making a bit of coin and trying to survive, give them some adventures and encounters and just let your players enjoy the game and experience rolling dice. You don't need a deep backstory for this.
As this progresses then get them to backstory by stealth, so session 3-4 as they are enjoying it give them homework for the endof the session.
"Right you have been your characters for a few sessions now so i want you all to think of the following and message me with it next time.
Where are you from
Your parents name and profession
Why you are adventuring
leave it at that for now, and then start talking to them individually but, I will say, I have run campaigns that went from level 1-20 where the players had no backstory, the whole campaign worked out on what was in front of them and what they had done in the campaign to date, none of them "made up" a past or history that predated the start of session 1.
At my table all my players backstories are secret from each other unless the player/character chooses to share details, or they come out as part of the adventure. I will pull players into a seperete chat room on discord, or take them out of the room if a physical game, if one on one interactions happen that are back story related, allowing the player to decide what their other players know. If the characters don't know it, nor do the players.
I like that! It is hard for players to separate what they know from what their characters knows - I think it takes really strong, experienced players to do that, and this is a good way to add some RPing realism to the game. "Your parents were murdered by orcs? I didn't know that, but that explains your hatred of them..." is great in a game!
Ask them why they picked their race and class. Based on their answers, think about where in your world that race is born or where that class gains their level 1 abilities. Invent a location and ask your player if they think their character could be from there. Let them know you're doing custom worldbuilding for their character. Ask them if they'd like to contribute any worldbuilding. Make sure they understand this gives them plot armor.
Rather than having them come up with a backstory that may or may not give you any actual hooks, you might just ask them to each come up with some hooks -- NPCs, motivations, sources of trouble, links to other PCs, etc.
You can do that, although you risk the task of not being able to tie the hook into a cohesive storyline that explains how they met and joined together, and then you get the tried-and-true, "You are siting in a tavern and see a notice calling for adventurers..." thing.
Rereading this whole thread makes me prefer a short background for each of my player's characters with some specifics (family size, status, etc) but other things that I can insert as I need.
Encourage them to fill out the personality traits, ideals, flaws, and bonds sections using the suggested characteristics for their background. Some of these refer to specific individuals, items, or events, which you can use tp fill out the organizations, allies, and enemies sections. Have the player flesh out each of these entries. For example, "I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it." When and where was this defeat? What war was it a part of? What were the consequences? Did you lose a compatriot, or was a civilian loved one harmed? What armies were your allies and enemies? Was there one particular named enemy who your vendetta burns hottest against?
Are there any organizations or allies associated with your class. Any warlock needs to explain who their patron is and how they formed their pact. A rogue might be in a thieves' guild and a paladin should be in an order. A monk or wizard has studied with an individual teacher or school. A barbarian has a tribe. A bard has a college. A druid has a circle. A cleric has a church.
I don't know. I think the Hobbits have fairly rich backstories. Everything in Tolkien does. Bilbo has an enmity with the Sackville-Bagginses. Merry and Pippin are Frodo's distant cousins. They have frequently had run-ins with Farmer Maggot. Tooks are foolhardy. Merry is from the village near the ferry. Sam's father was the gardener before him. Sam has long had a crush on Rose Cotton.
On the other hand, one can try to do better as a team player, and RP against other players' backstories to support them having a good time. I try to at least react in character when a player is revealing backstory on an appropriate cue in the story.
Lots of people saying don't write pages of backstory. Who said you should? I usually write about two paragraphs for my characters. It's more than, "My parents were killed and I have a hard time trusting people," and less than a full novel that transpired before session 1.