Creating a Character

Characters are built on four Traits, four Skills, two Relationships, and one Group. Take those bits, polish it up with an Archetype and some details and you will have a character.

Character sheet templates are available as Google Docs or Google Sheets.

Traits

A Trait is a defining characteristic of your character, a piece of your fundamental identity. Traits fall into one of three categories. You must have at least one Trait in each category. The lists below are examples and are not meant to be exhaustive. Pick some or make your own. Some Traits may fit into multiple categories. Don’t overthink it, just write it in a Trait circle.

Physical Traits

Strong, quick, athletic, fast, high stamina, tough, steady, attractive, energetic, commanding

Mental Traits

Witty, eidetic memory, studious, quick-thinking, streetsmart, conscientious, inquiring, artistic

Social Traits

Funny, persuasive, honest, kind, spontaneous, lucky, dedicated, poised, versatile

Skills

Skills are the things you know how to do where your Traits overlap. The Strong and Quick Traits may form the Brawling Skill. Gymnast and Streetsmart may form a Burglary Skill. Honest and Persuasive could be the Debate Skill, while Streetsmart and Persuasive could be the Con Skill. The Skills are flexible and open to interpretation. If it helps tell a good story, you are doing it right.

Archetype

In a few words, what kind of character are you? Describe yourself in five seconds. Snooty socialite? Bruce Lee Clone? Tortured Hero? Angry Underdog? Grieving Widow?

Background & Description

If you were at a speed-dating/therapy event, and you match up with a psychiatrist holding both a taser and a sixty second timer, demanding to know why you are the way you are and why you do what you do, what would you say? Mind the available space. When you’re done, write down a name and a description in a way that shows what is important to you.

Goal

Each character needs a goal of some kind.

Relationships & Group Dynamics

First, decide how you fit into the group. Are you a rebel, a guard, an elder? Now you know who you are, where you came from, what you can do, and how you fit into the group. Mutually define a relationship with two of the other players. How do you know each other and how do you feel about that? Both of you must agree to the relationship. Everyone has two consenting relationships.

Gear

What kind of gear makes sense for your character to have? Write that down. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Make it a cinematically relevant list. For money, unless a purchase is significantly expensive for your character, the price doesn’t matter. This is a storytelling game not a CPA simulator.