Building Characters 2e

hippogryph presents
BUILDING
CHARACTERS
a toolkit for creating character backgrounds
usable with any system, setting, or genre
second edition
Dancing Lights Press

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Copyright 2016-2020 Berin Kinsman. All Rights Reserved. Building Characters,
Hippogryph, and respective trade dress are © and ™ 2016-2020, Berin Kinsman. This is a work of
fiction. Any similarity with people or events, past or present, is purely coincidental and
unintentional except for any people and events presented in historical context. This is version 1.0
of this document.
Contents
Introduction..........................................................................1
Using This Book.......................................................................................1
Characters and Worldbuilding.......................................................2
Characters and Adventures..............................................................3
Characters and Rules..........................................................................4
Character Format...............................................................5
Name............................................................................................................5
Description................................................................................................6
Purpose.......................................................................................................6
Modifiers.....................................................................................................7
Story Points...............................................................................................9
Character Elements........................................................11
Character Roles....................................................................................11
Stages of Life........................................................................................48
Character Dimensions......................................................................52
Motivations.............................................................................................64
Aptitudes.................................................................................................69
Life Experiences...................................................................................74
Resources................................................................................................81
Wonders..................................................................................................86
Introduction
Tabletop roleplaying is about characters. It’s something so
fundamental and obvious that it’s often taken for granted. If
your tastes run toward the wargaming end of the spectrum, a
character is your game piece, the way that you interface with
the system. For those who lean more toward the storytelling
end, your character is a means of self-expression, the way that
you can vicariously interact with the world and the adventures
it offers. Building a character with an interesting background,
then, will heighten your overall experience of the game.
In this book, we’ll explore what goes into crafting
memorable and enjoyable tabletop roleplaying character
backgrounds. We’ll look at how they influence, and are
influenced by, the worldbuilding, adventures, and rules of the
game. By the end you’ll have a whole toolkit full of ideas to
work with, to apply however you choose regardless of the
system, setting, or genre you’re playing in.
Using This Book

This book is system-agnostic, meaning is was not written
for one specific tabletop roleplaying game. It’s not exclusively
for Dungeons & Dragons, Fate, Vampire the Masquerade, Call of
Cthulhu, or any other particular game. The examples are high-
level and generic, allowing you to adapt and apply them to the
system of your choice. It’s recommended that you read
through the entire book at least once to get a sense of the
contents, the flow of things, and the context for various ideas.
You can then go back to individual sections as needed for
reference as you’re creating characters.
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For ease of reference, this book has been broken up into
three sections:
Introduction
This is where you are now. A brief overview of what this
book is about, the concepts that will be discussed, and ways
that you can put it to use for your tabletop roleplaying game.
Character Format
The standard “stat block” for all of the books in the
Building series, this descriptive block will help you help track
roleplaying, worldbuilding, and adventure bits regardless of
rules. This chapter covers the five components of the of the
stat block: Name, Description, Purpose, Modifiers, and Story
Points.
Character Elements
What other games call attributes, statistics, or aspects,
elements are the building blocks of anything and everything
that can be created for a tabletop roleplaying game. This
chapter covers nine areas for developing character elements:
Character Roles, Stages of Life, Dimensions, Motivations,
Aptitudes, Life Experiences, Resources, and Wonders.
Characters and Worldbuilding

All characters exist within the context provided by the
setting. Their name will be a reflection of, and offer a
connection to, the cultures and places within the world. The
appearance that you give them, from their physical elements
to their manner of dress, should be influenced by the places
where they grew up and have lived in. Even their purpose for
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being, the things that drive and inspire them, will vary based
on various elements of the setting.
If your style of play leans more toward the wargaming
perspective, consider what abilities are common and
uncommon within the setting. How the character came to
acquire those skills could be an interesting bit of background
information. For those more inclined toward storytelling,
consider how elements in the character’s background might
raise questions about the setting that need to be addressed in
the worldbuilding, and ways that the character’s background
might be able to answer them.
When creating character background elements, keep the
existing worldbuilding in mind.
Characters and Adventures

Player characters and adventures have the potential to
provide context for one another. If the gamemaster indicates
the sort of setting and adventure they will be using, the player
should do their best to give their character a background that
fits. Conversely, if player characters have already been created,
adapted and develop adventures that incorporate their
backgrounds so that those create efforts are meaningful.
perspective, the player should consider what abilities will be
useful in the type of adventure or campaign being proposed.
The gamemaster should design encounters that leverage the
things that the player characters are able to do. For those more
inclined toward storytelling, consider how elements in the
character’s background might connect with non-player
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characters they encounter, pieces of the adventure goal, and
the places that they travel through.
When creating character background elements, keep
what’s known about the adventure and the campaign and the
elements that are both established and implied in mind.
Characters and Rules

All characters exist within the context provided by the
rules. Sample characters might offer ideas for naming
conventions. The appearance that you give them should be
influenced by the artwork presented in the core rulebooks.
The things that drive and inspire them will vary based on the
sorts of abilities that are emphasized in the rules, and the
implications of why they exist and how they can be used.
perspective, consider why some abilities are common across
character types while others are rare or absent. A character’s
knowledge or ignorance of certain skills could be an
interesting bit of background information. For those inclined
toward storytelling, consider how elements in the rules might
raise questions about the environment where the character
was raised, the types of experiences they would have had, and
the sorts of people they would have grown up around.
When creating character background elements, keep the
options presented by the rules and the things they imply about
how people act and behave in mind.
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Character Format
Because this book is system-agnostic, this “stat block” was
designed to work alongside the rules and mechanics of your
choice. The emphasis is on descriptive elements that can aid in
roleplaying, rather than specific abilities and statistics. There
are five descriptors used in every stat block, regardless of the
type of item or element being created:
Name: What it’s called, or how the element is referred to.
Description: The element’s appearance and its context.
Purpose: What the element does and how it does it.
Modifiers: Bonuses and penalties the element has, or is
able to provide.
Story Points: Questions the element begs, and answers it
provides.
Name
Every element has a name. It ought to be appropriate to the
genre, and each setting will have its own conventions. The
amount of specificity of the name you give to an element can
reflect its importance or uniqueness. Are you creating a
generic city guardsmen, 1920’s socialite and mythos
investigator Chloe Mitchell, or Orlak, the Wizard of Wolfhold?
Is this going to be an average warhammer, or Squealer, the
Cold Tempest of Zaynos? The name will provide context
around what people are supposed to think about this element,
and how they’re supposed to feel.
Important characters will have full names, based on the
naming conventions of the world. Lord Seaton Fairdale,
Ardilas Shakso, and Cap’n “Crazy Eyes” Smith could all work, in
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the appropriate context. Generic characters and extras will
only have titles or job descriptions. Blacksmith, waiter, and
truck driver are all valid. As long as you understand who the
character is supposed to be, and have an idea of their role
within the game, you’ve accomplished the purpose of the
name.
Description
The definition of “description”, like everything else, will
vary based on the needs of the setting and the player. You
should probably be consistent with any standards established
by the game and gamemaster. The object is to give the player
some tips on how to roleplaying the character, to give other
players some information to roleplaying against, and to offer
the gamemaster some potential adventure hooks and
worldbuilding connections.
Description will likely include things like the character’s
archetype, species, ethnicity, and appearance. Be as detailed as
you want. If you want to list height, weight, eye color, and the
color and style of their hair, great. Should you decide to wax
poetic about the beauty of their facial features, have at it.
Purpose
An element’s purpose is what it was created to do. This is
the writing on the tin. A refrigerator keeps food cold. Coffee is
a caffeinated beverage. The ring of invisibility renders the
wearer unseen. For characters, you can describe their personal
goal, job assignment, or adventuring mission. The monster
hunter’s purpose is to track down and slay monsters. Gilmead
Thunderhelm seeks revenge against the giant Buzus Baznir,
who destroyed their ancestral home. You can keep it simple
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when it needs to be simple, or go on for pages if the
explanation you need requires that level of gratuitous
verbosity.
For player characters this can serve to detail personal
goals, their role within the party, team, or group, and the basic
function they serve in the world. It’s separate, but probably
related to, their archetypes and other components of their
description. For example, a description might include the
archetype “cleric”, but their purpose could be “to protect the
sacred quacking puppets of St. Baxter”. For non-player
characters in particular, listing their purpose will give you a
sense of why they’re in the adventure and how they’re likely to
behave.
Modifiers
There are two possible types of modifiers. The most
familiar to tabletop roleplayers are numerical bonuses and
penalties that are added to die rolls. Not all elements will have
sorts modifiers. Most don’t need them, especially if they’ve
been created to flesh out the character’s backstory. Some,
however, might align with the game system of your choice and
reflect bonuses and penalties to abilities or actions within the
game system of your choice.
The second are descriptive, indicating how something
compares to the average or the norm. It could mean better,
newer, or more, for example, or of lesser quality, older, or of a
smaller quantity than typically seen. These modifiers are used
mainly for roleplaying, adventure, and color purposes.
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BELOW BASELINE
This might be a beginning or lower-level player character,
or an incidental non-player character. The individual element
is statistically below the typical level for the system or setting.
A mechanical ability below the baseline might have a penalty
(negative modifier), no modifier, or a low bonus. A role-
playing-focused element could be described as lesser, smaller,
fewer, or otherwise lacking in quality or quantity compared to
the baseline.
BASELINE
This reflects the average player character or villain build
for the system or current campaign. It could also be an
important or recurring non-player character. The individual
element’s level is typical for player characters within the
setting. A mechanical ability will have a small to moderate
bonus. A roleplaying-focused element will be described as
typical, average, or normal and serve as the baseline
description for said element.
ABOVE BASELINE
This is a high-level player character or villain within the
context of the setting. It’s unlikely to be a non-player character
unless it’s a retired player character. The individual element is
statistically above the typical level within the system or
setting. A mechanical ability might have a moderate to high
bonus. A roleplaying-focused element will be described as
greater, larger, more, or otherwise superior in quality or
quantity compared to the baseline.
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Story Points
These are plot hooks and adventure seeds that can be
harvested from a character’s backstory. A good story point
takes one of two forms, Unanswered Questions or Incidental
Worldbuilding. Individual characters might lean more toward
one or the other, but most player characters, villains, and
major non-player characters will have a combination of both.
Their backstory will offer up new questions about them, the
setting, and the adventure, while answering others.
Not every character element will have a deep and
meaningful story behind it. Sometimes a cooking skill is just a
cooking skill, and not rooted in fond childhood memories of
time spent in their grandmother’s kitchen. That’s okay.
Everything you create for the game, though, should at least
have the potential to reveal something about the character, the
world, and the adventure.
Take as much space as you need to flesh out the character’s
history. Look over the elements in the next section and find the
possible questions and answers inherent in them. Work with
the gamemaster and other players to refine these into
information that can be used in roleplaying the character,
fleshing out the setting, and generating ideas for future
adventures.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Not every detail of a character’s background needs to be
filled out in detail. There can be people, places, and events that
are mentioned in passing, which can be explored later on as
part of an adventure. It doesn’t have to be overtly mysterious.
A story point can just be a placeholder, a dangling thread that
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can be fleshed out later. This also allows the possibility of
connecting in-game events to those vague elements, tying the
character more closely together with the worldbuilding and
the adventure.
INCIDENTAL WORLDBUILDING
A character’s background can be used to fill in missing
details in the setting. If a character comes from a village that
hasn’t been developed in any detail, the player can flesh it out.
Past events that the character was involved in become part of
the canon, as do the places they’ve been to and the people
they’ve met. The idea is to tie the character and the setting
more closely together, allow the players an opportunity to
participate in the worldbuilding, and make the game into a
more personal and collaborative experience.
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Character Elements
An element is a building block of character. It’s the
attributes, skills, and classes of Dungeons & Dragons, aspects
in Fate, edges and hindrances in Savage Worlds, and so on.
Whatever your system of choice uses to create characters,
that’s what we’re defining as an element.
Taking is a step further, though, the pieces of a character’s
backstory are also elements. They are important to
understanding how to roleplay the character, knowing where
they fit within the game world, and finding meaningful ways to
connect them to an adventure. Unlike statistical elements they
don’t necessarily have modifiers, and not all characters need
to have the same types of character elements. This allows for
near-infinite customization.
This chapter covers nine possible areas for developing
character elements: Character Roles, Stages of Life, Dimensions,
Motivations, Aptitudes, Life Experiences, Resources, and
Wonders.
Character Roles
Every character has a part to play. Without them, there is
no story to tell. In most stories there are three basic character
types: Player Characters, Villains, and Non-Player Characters.
There are also background characters, but they’re usually
more set dressing than people to interact with. Each of these
types is further broken down into archetypal roles.
No character will have more than one of these roles, so this
element is foundational. The way you write your character, the
decisions that they will make, and the backstory that you
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create for them, begins with that role. You should establish
type and role first, before fleshing out any other details.
Player Character Roles

Player characters are the main characters in the game.
They're usually, but not always, the heroes. They are the
viewpoint characters, and we see and experience the world
through their eyes. Their decisions and actions drive the
events of the adventure. In a roleplaying game, all the player
characters are part of an ensemble cast.
There are many archetypal roles that player characters can
assume within a game. A different role will alter the context of
a character, and result in a different story. These roles include
the Caregiver, the Innocent, the Leader, the Loner, the Lover, the
Monarch, the Sage, and the Warrior. Let’s take a look at each of
these in detail
THE CAREGIVER
Description: Player character role.
Purpose: Look after other characters, engage in self-
expression.
Modifiers: Above baseline psychology dimension; above
baseline empathy, reflection, and spiritual aptitudes; above
baseline artistic, creative, cultural, investigative, and
persuasive life experiences.
Story Points: Unanswered questions could include why the
character puts the welfare of others ahead of their own.
Incidental worldbuilding could center on the assumption that
this character’s outlook is unusual or exceptional.
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The archetypal caregiver is an emotional being, driven by
empathy and compassion. They have a need to express their
emotions, which often takes the form caring for other people
or engaging in a creative field. A caregiver often has difficulty
holding their feelings in check, and will speak and act based on
passions and instincts.
Examples of the caregiver archetype include John Watson,
Jane Eyre, Leonard McCoy, Willow Rosenberg, Alfred
Pennyworth, and Carry Bradshaw. The villain counterpart to
the caregiver is the Aggressor.
The caregiver needs self-expression, but is also concerned
about the feelings and well-being of others. They will typically
put the welfare of the innocent and vulnerable ahead of their
own. Caregivers also worry about what other people think of
them, even though they will not usually seek thanks or
validation. As selfless as they seen, they do want to feel
appreciated.
What the caregiver dislikes are people that are not in touch
with their feelings. Those who act without concern for the
well-being of others upset them. They don’t like people who
consider them to be lesser or subordinate because they are in
touch with their emotions. They often worry about literally or
figuratively losing people they care about.
Some people see the caregiver as weak, whiny, or
emotionally needy. The archetype is sometimes dismissed as
overly dramatic. They can be perceived as sycophants
interested in nothing but pleasing other people.
Caregivers tend to have predictable interactions with the
following other archetypes:
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• The Destroyer’s drive toward mindless destruction and
casual cruelty is unfathomable to a caregiver; this often
generates conflict and drama.
• The Innocent can provide the caregiver with someone to
watch over and be responsible for.
• The Loner’s shell of solitude will prompt the caregiver to
try to draw them out and understand their introversion.
THE INNOCENT
Purpose: To explore the world with an open-minded sense
of wonder, and befriend the people they meet.
Modifiers: Components of psychology dimension will be
mixed, some above baseline and other below. Above baseline
empathy, morality, and reflection aptitudes. Below baseline
academic, cultural, and martial experiences. Above baseline
relationship resources.
Story Points: Unanswered questions could include why the
character has led such a sheltered life, and why they’re out in
the world now. Incidental worldbuilding implies places where
characters can be naive and maintain such innocents, possibly
an isolated location or protected community.
The archetypal innocent is happy and confident because
their life is easy. They know that people are trustworthy. All of
their needs are being met. They have yet to experience
anything bad in their life: if they have, then they’ve gotten
through it with a smile on their face and a song in their heart.
An innocent doesn’t act their age, sometimes because they
don’t want to, sometimes because they don’t know how to.
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Examples of the innocent archetype include Dorothy Gale,
Don Quixote, Tom Sawyer, Forrest Gump, Jane Bennett, and
Sansa Stark. The villain counterpart to the innocent is the
Drifter.
The innocent values strong relationships with other
people. They like having new experiences, discovering things,
and meeting people. The world affects them, but they choose
to not allow excessive negativity to get to them. What the
innocent really cherishes is their freedom, even if that
ironically means that they’re dependent on other people.
What the innocent dislikes are too many responsibilities.
Those chores that cut into their ability to have fun and enjoy
life. They distrust people who try to control them. They often
fear they’ll have to “grow up”, or that their friends will outgrow
them and move on.
Other characters often see the innocent as naive or stupid.
To go through life carefree means they don’t grasp the
seriousness or inherently tragic nature of life. Unscrupulous
characters will try to exploit them.
Innocents tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Judge will demand that the innocent grow up, and
force them to deal with harsher realities.
• The Leader will nurture the innocent’s good nature, and
value their positive outlook on life.
• The Monarch knows that the innocent is the exact sort
of person that needs their protection from harm.
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THE LEADER
Purpose: To accomplish a specific goal or task, inspiring
people to work together to reach milestones fulfill the mission.
Modifiers: Above baseline in any dimension, depending on
the context of the leader. Above baseline empathy, language,
morality, and reason, aptitudes. Above baseline cultural,
investigative, persuasive, and professional experiences. Above
baseline contacts, relationships, and reputation resources.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include what sort of
people or organization the character leads, how they came
into the role, and how much support or opposition they
encounter. Incidental worldbuilding implies that there is a
need for leadership, which in turn suggests some challenge
that needed to be faced.
The archetypal leader is all about the job. What they do is
the core of their identity. It’s not that they don’t care about
friends or family, but all the leader’s attention and resources
tend to be focused on their mission. A leader is calm,
organized, tactical, and tends to take a long view of things.
Examples of the leader archetype include Spock, Minerva
McGonagall, Sherlock Holmes, Mr. Darcy, Ma Joad, and Karin
Murphy. The villain counterpart to the leader is the
Mastermind.
The leader values respect. They seek public admiration
and a following. The means for gaining that respect is
competition, with themselves and against others. Self-
improvement is both a form of success and a means to success.
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The leader obsesses over controlling their self-image, and
worry about what other people think of them.
What the leader dislikes are the disorganized,
unquantifiable, and uncontrollable things in life. Emotional
outbursts make them uncomfortable. They hate losing when
they have done everything right and correctly followed a
detailed plan that should not have failed.
Other characters often see the leader as emotionless and
robotic. Their passions are for things, rather than for people.
Those in relationships with the leader feel that they are less
important than the job, because in truth they are.
Leaders tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Caregiver creates a juxtaposition of goals-oriented
motivation and emotion-driven motivation.
• The Lover will encourage the leader to relax, let go, and
enjoy life a little bit.
• The Sage’s unquantifiable spirituality will be at odds
with the leader’s pragmatic nature.
THE LONER
Purpose: To do things in their own way, at their own pace,
free from the restrictions of social convention.
Modifiers: Sociology and psychology dimensions can be a
mixture of above or below the cultural baseline. Above
baseline nature, reflection, and spiritual aptitudes. Above the
baseline for investigative and transport life experiences. Below
baseline contacts, equipment, housing, personal possessions,
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relationships, and reputation resource. Possibly above
baseline transportation and wealth resources.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include why the
character prefers to work alone. Did the grow up isolated, or
did something happen that made them distrust other people?
Incidental worldbuilding will include any elements that allow
the loner to function without the assistance of other people,
including the existence of skills, tools, and technologies.
The archetypal loner is a private person that prefers their
own company to the madness of crowds. It isn’t that they don’t
like people. They just find comfort and peace in being alone
with their thoughts. A loner is often sensitive emotionally, with
a rich inner life. They can’t handle being with too many people
at once.
Examples of the loner archetype include Willy Wonka, Miss
Havisham, Katniss Everdeen, Mycroft Holmes, Batman, and
Beth March. The villain counterpart to the loner is the
Schemer.
The loner values solitude. They don't like feeling rushed or
forced to do things in a manner other than their own way.
Relationships with other people are always on their terms.
They prefer one-on-one interactions to groups or teams. The
loner requires a sense of balance in their life.
What the loner dislikes are complications. Messy
emotional entanglements, dependence on other people, and
losing their independence are big issues. The loner hates being
the center of attention, preferring to be the silent partner in
the background.
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Other characters see the loner as aloof and distant. They
seem lazy, because they do things at their own pace and in
their own time. A loner is a good listener, as they allow others
do most of the talking.
Loners tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Caregiver understands and respects the loner’s
need for solitude as a form of self-care.
• The Innocent is accepting of loners and willing to relate
to the Loner on their terms.
• The Player will try to take advantage of a loner’s solitary
nature and desire for close one-on-one relationships.
THE LOVER
Purpose: To explore both their senses and feelings, and
develop close emotional connections to other people.
Modifiers: Above the baseline for physiology dimensions.
Components of sociology and psychology dimensions can be
mixed. Above the baseline for body, empathy, and spiritual
aptitudes. Above the baseline for cultural and persuasive life
experiences. Contacts and relationships may be above the
baseline for resources, but reputation could be below the
cultural baseline.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include what the
character does in pursuit of pleasures, and how they were
introduced to the path they’re on. Incidental worldbuilding
implies that there are moral guidelines for the pursuit of
pleasure, possibly regulated by culture, religion, and politics.
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The archetypal lover is a confident and sensual person.
They know what they want and aren’t ashamed to go after it.
The archetype doesn’t care what other people think, and won’t
allow gossip alter their pursuit of pleasure. They enjoy being
the center of attention.
Examples of the lover archetype include James Bond,
Jessica Rabbit, James T. Kirk, Captain Jack Harkness, Phryne
Fisher, and Blanche Devereaux. The villain counterpart to the
lover is the Player.
The lover values close relationships and deep connections
with people. They need to be in charge of their own life and
their own choices. Self-expression is as important and
necessary to them as breathing.
What the lover dislikes is being hurt emotionally. They will
go to great lengths to avoid it, and try to not let it show when
they are. A lover does not like ending relationships, which they
see as a form of losing control over their life.
Some see the lover as immoral. Others view them as a
rebellious hero flaunting social convention. They are either
vilified or glorified for their unapologetic lifestyle. The lover is
rarely given a fair assessment or treated as a balanced and
well-rounded person.
Lovers tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Caregiver will see the lover as a complete person,
not just a single-minded one-note caricature.
• The Sage also appreciates spiritual pursuits that can
heighten senses and open up new experiences.
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• The Warrior lives a life centered on physicality, even
though they express themselves in different ways.
THE MONARCH
Purpose: To accomplish some large objective that requires
collective effort, which they are naturally in charge of.
Modifiers: Components of physiology, sociology,
psychology dimensions will be mixed. Empathy, morality,
reason, reflection, and spiritual aptitudes are could be above
the cultural baseline, or they might define the baseline.
Cultural, martial, and persuasive experiences will be above the
baseline. Most resources will be above the baseline, depending
upon what the monarch commands.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include why the
objective needs to be accomplished, and how the character
came to be in charge of it. Incidental worldbuilding implies
that there is something at stake if the domain is left without
someone to guide it, either something to be lost or a boon that
cannot be gained.
The archetypal monarch is a dominant personality
bordering on being a genuine force of nature. They command
respect and exude authority. Where the leader archetype lives
for the job, the monarch is the job. They focus on the big
picture and have a long plan for the realm they are in charge
of. The needs of their domain as a whole will outweigh the
needs of any individual. They love demonstrating what they
are the best at, typically through competition with others.
Examples of the monarch archetype include Arthur
Pendragon, T'Pau, Daenerys Targaryen, Claire Underwood,
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Tony Soprano, and Captain Ahab. The villain counterpart to
the monarch is the Tyrant.
The monarch values what they are in charge of. They take
pride when their domain does well. They value respect,
loyalty, and the devotion of those in their charge. Members of
their inner circle are the only people they fully trust. The
monarch values traditions that support and validate their own
power.
What the monarch dislikes are emotions, considered a
weakness. Love of tradition competes with a discomfort for
sentimentality. They fear younger, more capable rivals seeking
to depose them from their position.
Other characters may see the monarch as heartless and
cold. They are capable, trustworthy, and confident, but not
emotionally expressive. Others think the archetype is
egomaniacal, controlling, and obsessed with their own power.
The strength the monarch projects is their defining
characteristic.
Monarchs tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Caregiver provides juxtaposition between empathy
for individuals and the needs of the bigger picture.
• The Player will prey upon the monarch’s loneliness to
take advantage of their power and influence.
• The Sage will be among the few that treat the monarch
as a whole person rather than a figurehead.
THE SAGE
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Purpose: To gather knowledge and information, spread the
wisdom that is helpful and useful, and safeguard secrets that
are too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands.
Modifiers: Components of sociology and psychology
dimensions will be above the baseline. Language, reason, and
reflection aptitudes are likewise above the cultural baseline.
Academic, artistic, creative, and investigative life experiences
will be above the baseline. Resources that aid in the
character’s quest for knowledge will be above baseline, but
most other things will be below the cultural baseline.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include how the
character was trained, and where they came to possess this
information. Incidental worldbuilding implies that there is a
market for secrets, as well as other individuals or
organizations devoted to gathering knowledge.
The archetypal sage is a keeper of secret knowledge. An
enlightened being, they seek to spread peace, love, and
wisdom. A sage is able to see the big picture from a spiritual
perspective. They are patient, kind, and freely giving of
themselves.
Examples of the sage archetype include Galadriel, Obi-Wan
Kenobi, Robin Hood, Paul Atreides, Luna Lovegood, and River
Tam. The villain counterpart to the sage is the Judge.
The sage values the concerns of others. They are a good
listener, which allows connecting with the divine spirit present
in other people. They like children and animals for their purity
and simplicity.
What the sage dislikes are people who lead others toward
corruption and falsehood. They fear being misunderstood, and
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the distrust and mistreatment that can follow such
misunderstanding. The sage has personal demons to wrestle
with, which are often what drove them to seek wisdom and
enlightenment to begin with.
Other characters see the sage as a welcome teacher and
mentor. They may also see a dangerous lunatic, or fraud that
needs to be silenced. Opinions depend on whether they agree
or disagree with the sage’s spiritual views.
Sages tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Innocent naturally possess the sort of purity of
spirit that the sage works to achieve.
• Another Sage’s different approach to spirituality can
create the problems that the sage fears most.
• The Tyrant will seek to suppress the sage’s message or
twist it to support their oppressive regime.
THE WARRIOR
Purpose: To face physical and martial challenges with the
goal of becoming the best that they can be.
Modifiers: Components of the physiology dimension will
be above the cultural baseline. Body, and visualization
aptitudes will be above baseline. Athletic, martial, and
transport life experiences will be above the baseline.
Equipment, relationships, and transportation resources tend
to be above baseline. Other resources, especially reputation,
can be above or below depending on the warrior’s actions.
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Story Points: Unanswered questions why they chose the
path of the warrior, how they were trained, and what has
allowed them to survive thus far. Incidental worldbuilding
implies that there’s a need for warriors, i.e. wars and battles,
as well as an industry to produce weapons and armor.
The archetypal warrior is a physical, rather than
intellectual, being. They live for the moment and eschew the
long view for immediate gratification. The warrior is willing to
take risks, but doesn’t stop to consider the consequences.
Examples of the warrior archetype include Buffy Summers,
Jack Aubrey, Robb Stark, Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon
Lethbridge-Stewart, Lucy Pevensie, and Wonder Woman. The
villain counterpart to the warrior is the Destroyer.
The warrior values loyalty, and fiercely defends their
friends and family. They are competitive, especially in physical
tasks, because they love to test their own abilities. They live
for physical fitness, because the body is their instrument and
makes what they can do possible. What the warrior loves most
is action.
What the warrior dislikes are the failings of their own
body. They don’t fear losing as much as they have anxiety over
not being able to compete. They don’t worry about getting
hurt as much as they angst over letting themselves and other
people down.
Other characters see the warrior archetype as anti-
intellectual due to their obsession with physicality. They can
be trusted and valued in their own area of expertise, but rarely
beyond it. People find them attractive, intimidating, or a
combination of the two.
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Warriors tend to have predictable interactions with the
• The Caregiver will be there to help the warrior with
their injuries from competition and battle.
• The Innocent gives the warrior someone to protect and
defend from the harsher aspects of the world.
• The Sage’s spiritual focus can either balance out or come
into opposition with the warrior’s nature.
Villain Roles
The villain is the non-player character bad guy in the
adventure. They’re typically an evil character, competitor, or
rival whose mission is to make life difficult for the player
characters. They have their own goals and motives that
conflict with those of the player character. Villains provide the
majority of the obstacles that player characters have to
overcome. In a tabletop roleplaying game, the gamemaster
plays the villain.
There are specific archetypal roles that villains hold within
an adventure. Even with the same genre, time and place, and
structure, a different role will alter the context and result in a
very different adventure. Villain roles include the Aggressor,
the Destroyer, the Drifter, the Judge, the Mastermind, the
Schemer, the Seducer, and the Tyrant.
THE AGGRESSOR
Description: Villain role.
Purpose: To take what they want, free from consequences,
and hurt anyone that gets in their way.
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Modifiers: Above baseline physiology dimension. Mixed
sociology and psychology dimensions. Above baseline body,
and visualization aptitudes. Below baseline empathy, morality,
musical, and spiritual aptitudes. Above the cultural baseline
for athletic, and martial life experiences. At the baseline for
resources, with some personal variations possible.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include what they
want, whether they ever had a moral compass and if so how it
got broken, and how they’ve been enabled to behave this way.
Incidental worldbuilding implies that there are broken social
systems, or no social systems at all, that allow an aggressor to
exist in the world.
The archetypal aggressor runs on pain and revenge. They
feel that the entire world is against them. In their view, people
have cheated them out of things rightfully deserve. An
aggressor uses emotional connections with other people to
manipulate and control them. If that doesn’t work, they will
resort to fear and intimidation. They may be physically or
emotionally abusive. The aggressor embodies contradictions
and double standards, as the rules they apply to others don’t
apply to them.
Examples of the aggressor archetype include Livia Drusilla,
Norma Bates, The Joker, Ralph Cramden, Humbert Humbert,
and Olivia Foxworth. The player character counterpart to the
aggressor is the Caregiver.
The aggressor values their own desires above anything
else, sometimes including their own genuine needs. They will
claim to want respect, but actually want power and control.
They demand that things comply with a particular standard,
often unrealistic, that they have set.
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What the aggressor dislikes are boundaries and limitations
to their own desires. They will not react favorably to others
trying to control anything. The aggressor refuses to accept
accountability for their own actions, as they feel other people
drive them to behave the way that they do.
Other characters often see the aggressor as a person in
pain. They sense the deep emotions and the depth of what
they care about. As they get to know the aggressor, the other
characters learn just how manipulative and violent they can
become when they don’t get their way.
THE DESTROYER
Purpose: To win at everything at any cost, using physical
force and intimidation to get their way.
Modifiers: Above the baseline for the physiology
dimension and body aptitude. Below the cultural baseline for
empathy, morality, reason, reflection, and spiritual aptitudes.
Above the baseline for athletic and martial life experiences,
but below the baseline for just about everything else.
Resource are at the baseline unless there is something that the
destroyer can use to superficially improve the way other
people perceive them.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include what damage
they’ve done in the past and how they currently control the
people that are aiding them. Incidental worldbuilding implies
a lack of functioning social structures to keep this sort of
person in check.
The archetypal destroyer is a physical being. They are
neither in touch with, nor concerned about, their intellectual
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and emotional sides. Their few relationships are with people
that can make them look good – a trophy spouse, an
entourage, servants, henchmen – or useful people who can
help further their ambitions. The destroyer will take the
fastest, easiest path to get what they want, leaving both
intentional and unintentional destruction in their wake.
Examples of the destroyer archetype include Ser Gregor
Clegane, Luca Brasi, Maleficent, Mr. Blonde, Gogo Yubari, and
Katherine Pierce. The player character counterpart to the
Destroyer is the Warrior.
The destroyer seeks victory above all else, and at any cost.
Competition is a chance to show their dominance. They like to
make grandiose demonstrations of their power and control.
The destroyer demands loyalty but doesn’t always respect it;
they see subordination as weakness.
What the destroyer hates most is losing and looking
foolish. They worry about what others will think if they fail.
They fear others seeing them as weak and ineffective. They
don’t like anything that might lead to others challenging their
dominance.
Other characters see the destroyer as an intimidating figure.
They perceive them to be unintelligent, childish, and petulant.
While attractive and charming in the right circumstance, they
aren’t to be trusted.
THE DRIFTER
Purpose: To alleviate boredom and do whatever they
please, free from attachments and consequences.
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Modifiers: Components of physiology, sociology, and
psychology dimensions can be anywhere relative to the
cultural baseline, although their detachment will drive some
pieces below it. Empathy aptitude will be below baseline.
Academic, artistic, cultural, investigative, persuasive, and
transport life experiences will be above baseline due to the
drifter’s lifestyle. Resources are likely to be below the baseline,
especially in terms of quantity.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include where they
came from, how they support themselves, and whether they
have an ultimate destination they’re heading toward.
Incidental worldbuilding implies that there is a place they left
for some reason, and that they have some criminal past that
could catch up with them.
The archetypal drifter is emotionally detached from their
surroundings. They do their own thing, regardless of social
norms and potential consequences. Quietly disrupting the
social order while anonymously standing back and watching
panic and mayhem unfold is their idea of a good time. This
behavior is often self-destructive. The drifter has no strong
connection to a specific place, and will move around as needed
when things become boring or the authorities get too close.
Examples of the drifter archetype include Travis Bickle,
Randall Flagg, Faith the Vampire Slayer, Gollum, Milady de
Winter, and Harley Quinn. The player character counterpart to
the drifter is the Innocent.
The drifter values their freedom and amusement above all.
The more bored they become, the more motivated they are to
find something to entertain them. What matters is the
immediate gratification of their needs.
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What the drifter dislikes are attachments. They will seek to
free themselves from such restrictions up to and including the
destruction of whatever is holding them back. This extends to
the people in and around their lives as well.
Other characters see the drifter as reckless and mentally
unstable. The archetype may take steps to leave a better
impression to preserve their anonymity or maintain a
disguise. They can be charming, or intimidating, or
nondescript as needed, so the people don’t pay much attention
to them.
THE JUDGE
Purpose: To enforce their interpretation of the rules on
other people, thus ensuring the continuation and escalation of
their own power and authority.
Modifiers: Above the baseline for sociology dimension
components, especially those that support and uphold their
authority and status. Mixed components in psychology
dimensions. Below baseline empathy aptitude, and they feel
that their morality aptitude is above the baseline even when it
doesn’t align with the cultural norms.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include how they
came to wield this power to begin with, and how they hold
onto it. Incidental worldbuilding implies that there is an
existent power structure for them to align with and exploit.
The archetypal judge always has their specific version of
the greater good in mind. They want to shape society to fit
their personal vision. They deal harshly with anyone who does
not follow the rules, or at least their personal interpretation of
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the rules. The judge always believes that they are in the right,
and has a never-ending supply of rationalizations for their
beliefs and behaviors.
Examples of the judge archetype include Inspector Javert,
Judge Doom, the Queen of Hearts, Holden Caulfield, Dolores
Umbridge, and Ebenezer Scrooge. The player character
counterpart to the Judge is the Sage.
The judge demands obedience to their authority. Their
upbringing instilled these values in them, or perhaps
something happened in their life that brought them to these
beliefs. They enjoy wielding power and control over other
people, and do so without mercy or exception. They consider
themselves to be above the rules, but consistently apply them
to others.
What the judge dislikes are those who evade their brand of
justice. They will go to extremes to insure no one escapes the
punishment the archetype feels they deserve. They will not
allow anyone to undermine their authority.
Other characters often see the judge as a necessary evil.
Some recognize them as abusive and power-mad, pushing an
ideology that is not in the best interests of the society they’re
supposed to serve. Most agree that some of things the Judge
seeks to punish aren’t crimes, and that the punishments tend
to be excessive compared to the nature and degree of the
alleged offense.
THE MASTERMIND
Purpose: To achieve a specific goal at any cost.
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Modifiers: Mixed sociology and psychology dimensions.
Where they are now is likely above where they were in earlier
stages of life. Reason aptitude is always above the cultural
baseline. Above the baseline for academic, creative,
investigative, and select professional life experiences. Usually
above baseline for equipment, information, and wealth
resources as the pertain to accomplishing the master plan.
Story Points: Unanswered questions include how they got
as far along in their plan unnoticed, and where they acquired
the resources to even begin down this path. Incidental
worldbuilding implies the existence of all the elements being
leveraged to make the plan work, including events,
organizations, and laws.
The archetypal mastermind tends to focus on a singular
goal to the exclusion of all else. They will do anything to
achieve that goal, with no regard for morals, ethics, or the law.
Masterminds take a long view toward the execution of their
plans, preferring things to play out correctly rather than
quickly.. Their loyalty is to their vision alone, and extends to
other people only if they contribute to achieving that vision.
Examples of the mastermind archetype include Voldemort,
Lady Macbeth, Captain Nemo, Bellatrix Lestrange, Nurse
Ratched, and Lex Luthor. The player character counterpart to
the mastermind is the Leader.
The mastermind values order and control. They always
need to be the smartest or most powerful person in the room.
The archetype loves to show off. If they can’t gain legitimate
respect or admiration, they’ll often settle for fear.
What the mastermind dislikes are challenges to their
authority. It takes little to bruises their ego. Their calm
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exterior will dissolve into emotional outbursts. Chaos is met
with violence. They exercise control and enforce order
through a show of power and strength.
Other characters see the mastermind as a necessary evil at
best. If they didn’t need the results that the mastermind is
capable of producing, they wouldn’t want anything to do with
them. They are more typically seen as an oppressor, best
avoided or escaped from.
THE SCHEMER
Purpose: To manipulate people and situations for their on
benefit, but mainly because they enjoy feeling in control.
Modifiers: Above the baseline on sociology and psychology
dimensions, which they use to their advantage. High on
empathy, morality, and reason aptitudes as a reflection of their
understanding of human behaviors. Above the baseline on
cultural, investigative, and persuasive life experiences.
Contacts, information, and reputation resources are all above
the baseline.
Story Points: Unanswered questions involve why the
character does this and how they got started. Incidental
worldbuilding implies the existence of social circles and
possibly technologies that the schemer is able to infiltrate and
steer toward their own ends.
The archetypal schemer sits in the middle of a web, pulling
strings and manipulating situations. They prefer to work
alone, only sharing plans with those who absolutely need to
know. They do things because they can. The schemer will
become the embodiment of terror if their actions discovered
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and exposed. There's no way to know how far their reach is,
who they have under their control, or what they’ll do to the
person who’s found them out.
Examples of the schemer archetype include Hannibal
Lecter, Frank Underwood, Mrs. Danvers, Walter White, Jamie
Moriarty, and Morgan le Fay. The player character counterpart
to the schemer is the Loner.
The schemer values their privacy and secrecy. The thrill of
what they’re doing isn’t in achieving it, but in getting away
with it. That sensation lingers the more time passes with no
one figuring out what they’ve done. They prize their own
intelligence and cleverness, and love opportunities to exercise
those elements.
What the schemer dislikes are people unswayed by their
charms. They hate people who suspect and question their
motives. They don’t like being in crowds or other situations
where they can’t control all of the variables.
Others see the schemer as an average, ordinary person.
They often seem kind and generous, or at least harmless. They
don’t seem exceptional in any way, if that’s the image they
choose to project. The schemer may also be a pillar of the
community, a good person, and a role model, if that’s the
persona they’ve adopted.
THE SEDUCER
Purpose: To get an individual to become infatuated with
them, controlling them through emotional manipulation.
Modifiers: Above baseline physiology dimension, as well
as select components of sociology and psychology dimensions.
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Above baseline body aptitude, creative, cultural, and
persuasive, life experiences. Resources like clothing, housing,
and transportation, which reflect on their appearance and
status, tend to be above the baseline.
character started down this path, and who they initially hurt
as they discovered this works for the,. Incidental
worldbuilding implies the material possessions that reflected
higher status, as well as social standards of attractiveness.
The archetypal seducer sees others as playthings. They
don’t care who gets hurt, as long as it isn’t them. The seducer
is usually attractive and charismatic, and they use those
elements to manipulate others to get what they want. They
love taking risks, but someone else takes the fall when things
go wrong.
Examples of the seducer archetype include Dr. Frank-N-
Furter, Mr. Wickham, Princess Ardala, Delilah, Don Draper, and
Mrs. Robinson. The player character counterpart to the
seducer is the Lover.
The seducer enjoys personal pleasures and the thrill of
scandal. This leads them to engage in reckless behaviors that
border on self-destructive. They also love the power they have
over people. As long as it’s getting them what they want, they
love the attention that they garner.
What the seducer dislikes are people who judge them.
When their actions are exposed, they will push things to
extremes and flaunt the control they hold over people. They
fear losing their looks and their charm and, by extension, their
power over others. The seducer will go do just about anything
to hold onto any advantage that they have.
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Others see the seducer as the embodiment of moral decay.
Some admire them for their carefree, I-take-what-I-want
lifestyle. They are clearly a sinner, but whether that qualifies
as vice or virtue is in the eye of the beholder. Most who admire
the seducer aren’t directly under their sway, or at least aren’t
willing to admit it.
THE TYRANT
Purpose: To rule over a domain through force.
Modifiers: Above the cultural baseline for physiology
dimension, as well as body and visualization aptitudes. Above
the baseline for athletic and martial life experiences.
Equipment, information, and wealth resources are often above
average as a reflection of the armed for they’ve built.
Story Points: Unanswered questions involve how the
character was trained, and where they developed their world
view. Incidental worldbuilding implies governments that are
able to be seized by tyrants, and the cultural situations and
events that lead up to that.
The archetypal tyrant seizes power by force. They are
rarely the champion of an ideology, or possessed of special
qualifications and leadership ability. They demand and receive
respect through fear and abuse of authority. Tyrants are
emotional beings but are rarely able to express themselves
without resorting to extremes of behavior. They often have a
small inner circle that they love but don’t entirely trust.
Examples of the tyrant archetype include Vito Corleone,
Sauron, the White Witch, Tywin Lannister, Galina “Red”
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Reznikov, and Fiona Goode. The player character counterpart
to the tyrant is the Monarch.
The tyrant values what they are in charge of, not for its
inherent worth but as a symbol of their authority. They like
grandiose displays of power, and will integrate traditions and
prophecies that support their authority into their personal
mythology. They like obedience, and thoroughly enjoy
punishing those who don’t follow their demands.
What the tyrant dislikes are people that can see that
they’re just a bully with delusions of grandeur. They hate
competition unless they’re somehow guaranteed to win.
Challenges to their authority are particularly hard to handle
when they’re based in objective truth.
Others see the tyrant as emotionally unstable and
terrifyingly dangerous. Their egos need stroking to prevent
vindictive outbursts. Some might see good qualities when the
tyrant’s goals align with their own, and find justification for
their extremes. They still probably have concerns for the long-
term viability of the tyrant’s leadership, and their own safety.
Non-Player Character Roles

The non-player characters in an adventure are the friends,
family members, and colleagues the player character. They
have names and a little bit of backstory. In a tabletop
roleplaying game, the gamemaster plays most of the non-
player characters. They are sometimes assigned to and
controlled by players in troupe-style groups.
Supporting character exist for several reasons. They get to
inject an alternate opinion or point of view into the setting.
Their presence can compensate for abilities that the player
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character doesn’t possess. They can perform boring tasks off-
screen to keep the adventure moving forward. Most
importantly, non-player characters provide people for the
player characters to interact with.
Because the role of a non-player character is significantly
different from a player character or villain, they are described
slightly differently. Their role is often based more on their
function in the setting or adventure than their personality.
This allows the gamemaster to slot a wider variety of
characters into these roles.
Supporting character roles include the Cavalry, the
Hindrance, the Mentor, the Resource, the Sidekick, the Skeptic,
the Voice of Emotion, and the Voice of Reason.
THE CAVALRY
Description: Non-player character role.
Purpose: To aid the player characters in combat.
Modifiers: Any abilities related to fighting.
player characters know this person. Incidental worldbuilding
will revolve around the backstory of this relationship.
The cavalry archetype exists to provide player characters
with backup in combat situations. They may be along for big,
planned battles against the villain and their forces, or appear
suddenly at the right moment to save the player characters
from impending doom. A cavalry character tend to be all
physicality, and if they say anything it’s often to jibe at the
player characters for needing their help.
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The archetypal cavalry character is ideologically aligned
with the player characters. They are often paid by the same
organization or client that the player characters are working
for. Often a sense of camaraderie between the cavalry
character and the player characters exists.
Examples of the cavalry character archetype include:
Lando Calrissian, "Dum Dum" Dugan, É omer, River Song,
Cordelia Chase, and Michonne.
If your stories skew toward action and combat, your player
characters are inevitably going to run into trouble. Even if
things are balanced so challenges don't put characters in over
their heads, sometimes things go wrong. Establishing that
there is someone standing by to help avoids making the rescue
feel like a deus ex machina. The cavalry character archetype is
useful if you’re not inclined toward “total party kill” games.
THE HINDRANCE
Purpose: To be a human obstacle for the player characters.
Modifiers: Often high reasoning and low social skills.
player characters tolerate this person. Incidental
worldbuilding will explain the backstory to this relationship.
The hindrance character exists to get in the way of the
player characters. They show up in the wrong place at the
wrong time. At critical moments they do something to distract
the player characters. They discover things that the player
character doesn’t want them to know. Hindrance characters
are human obstacles. It’s not that they’re necessarily a bad
person or have ill intentions. They may mean well, but tend to
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have terrible timing, misguided instincts, and a knack for
getting into trouble. They won’t do anything as seriously
harmful as a villain would, though.
Examples of the hindrance archetype include Gladys
Kravitz, Walter Peck, Saruman, Lois Lane, Marie Barone, and
Dr. Zachary Smith.
Sometimes you need an obstacle that doesn’t involve a true
villain. You need someone that the player character won’t want
to throw in jail and can’t justify killing. A hindrance provides
some moral grounding, and can also act as comic relief.
THE MENTOR
Purpose: To guide the player characters and act as the
gamemaster’s voice.
Modifiers: Anything the player characters don’t know, but
need to, in order to make informed decisions.
The mentor’s purpose is to advise and instruct the player
characters. They provide education and training necessary to
meet personal and adventure goals. The role might be formal,
like a teacher, parent, or other official authority figure. It might
be informal, like a friend, neighbor, or acquaintance who offers
help because they care about the player characters. A mentor
may also have a specific agenda, and needs the player
character’s aid in order to fulfill it.
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The archetypal mentor often shepherds the player
characters and keeps them safe until they are ready to stand
on their own. They ensure that the player character
accomplishes whatever mission or duty they need to complete
to further some greater good. The mentor is loyalty to the
player characters, and to the cause.
Examples of the mentor archetype include Merlin, Minerva
McGonagall, Rupert Giles, Leslie Thompkins, Ninny
Threadgoode, and Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown.
All player characters need guidance. A mentor can act as
the gamemaster’s voice, reminding everyone what the plot of
the adventure is, what needs to be done, and what the stakes
are. They can also offer up a plan when the player characters
are stumped or in need of a hint.
THE RESOURCE
Purpose: To get the player characters the things that they
need, including equipment and information.
Modifiers: Anything related to the resource they are able
to provide.
implies the supply chain for the resources and validates their
existence in the setting.
The resource character provides the player character with
something they need. This could be information, equipment,
or specialized expertise like medical care. Most resources
specialize in one thing, but usually know of someone who can
acquire other things the player characters may need.
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The archetypal resource character may or may not support
the player characters’ ideals. They don’t work for free, and are
paid by the player characters or the organization they work
for. A resource may also barter or expect favors or rewards in
return for the goods and services they provide.
Examples of the resource character archetype include Maj.
Geoffrey Boothroyd, Oracle, Saul Goodman, Sam Axe, Radical
Edward, and Galadriel.
You may need several of these archetypes, depending on
the types of resources your campaign requires. Resource
characters keep the adventure moving by allowing acquisition
of knowledge and gear to happen away from the player
characters, so that necessary things are ready and waiting for
them when needed. They allow the player characters to
concentrate on what needs doing, rather than getting bogged
down in the logistics or acquisition.
THE SIDEKICK
Purpose: To act as a conscience for the player characters.
Modifiers: A lower-grade copy of one of the player
characters’ abilities.
sidekick became attached to a character or the group.
Incidental worldbuilding implies that there is precedent and
social acceptance for this sort of apprenticeship.
The sidekick is the player characters’ faithful companion.
They’ll stick with them through thick and thin. This is often a
“lite” version of a player character. They might also be a
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mismatched opposite, to provide juxtaposition. Sidekicks exist
to remind us of the sorts of people the player characters are.
The archetypal sidekick admires the player characters and
believes in their goals. They see the player characters as
people they want to be like, and are proud to associate with
them. The sidekick’s primary motivation is to clear obstacles,
aid the player character, and keep them on track morally and
ethically.
Examples of the sidekick archetype include Robin,
Gabrielle, Chewbacca, Tinkerbell, Stephen Maturin, and Chloe
O'Brian.
The sidekick makes the player characters look good. They
also humanize the player characters by allowing them to be
teachers or parental figures. Sidekicks provide a moral
compass, forcing the player characters to role models.
THE SKEPTIC
Purpose: To question the player characters’ decisions and
cause them to doubt their plans.
Modifiers: Anything that allows them to speak credibly
and with authority on topics they challenge the player
characters on.
player characters put up with this person. Incidental
worldbuilding will revolve around the backstory of how the
skeptic has a record of being correct and worth listening to.
The skeptic’s purpose is to question everything. They
challenge the player character’s decisions, and actions. The
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archetype provides context by offering alternate opinions and
explanations. Arguing with player characters can serve either
intellectual or entertainment purposes.
The archetypal skeptic character subjects everything to
extreme levels of scrutiny. They look for faults and flaws. They
question the player characters as a means of keeping them
safe, checking that they’re certain about what they’re doing. A
skeptic’s values may also run contrary to the player
character’s ideas and beliefs, introducing some worldbuilding
in the form of other cultural, religious, or political ideas into
the setting.
Examples of the skeptic archetype include Eric Cartman,
Zoe Washburne, Sheldon Cooper, Leonard McCoy, Lisa Cuddy,
and Shirley Bennett.
A skeptic forces the player characters to explain things.
This can helps them to clarify their plans in their own head to
articulate them. A rash player character will have to
reconsider a bad idea. A wise player character will have an
opportunity to display their brilliance.
THE VOICE OF EMOTION

Purpose: To ensure the player characters are taking
feelings and human costs into consideration.
Modifiers: Anything related to empathy, compassion, and
social skills.
player characters are connected to this person. Incidental
worldbuilding will revolve around the backstory of this
relationship.
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The voice of emotion is there to take everyone’s feelings
into consideration. They have a love of humanity and
appreciation for the human condition, and will speak up for
those who do not have voices. This archetype will try to keep
the peace between other characters. The voice of emotion can
sometimes be self-centered and demand attention when their
feelings aren’t being acknowledged.
The archetypal voice of emotion expresses concern for
other people. They want to be sure that human costs factor
into every decision. This is especially true of tactical and
financial choices that could put the player characters or
prominent non-player characters in danger.
Examples of the voice of emotion archetype include
Marianne Dashwood, Will Robinson, Dr. James Wilson, Dale
Cooper, Phoebe Buffay, and Kaylee Frye.
It’s easy for player characters to get so caught up in making
progress through an adventure that they forget that other
characters exist in the world. The voice of emotion is there to
remind them of the stakes. They keep the adventure from
running on rails, and force the player characters to behave
more like real people.
THE VOICE OF REASON

Purpose: To ensure the player characters aren’t acting
purely out of emotion, and are thinking things through.
Modifiers: Anything that allows them to discuss the risks
involved in whatever the player characters are about to do.
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The voice of reason is used in an adventure cut through
emotional arguments and get to the facts. They try to be
objective, see all sides of a situation, and make decisions based
on what will generate the best results with the fewest risks.
Some see the voice of reason as a cold, calculating person.
Their decisions, even when made to promote the greater good,
may result in people getting hurt. The voice of reason sees this
as doing what is necessary in favor of what makes people feel
good about themselves..
The archetypal voice of reason pursues truth and purpose.
They will always side with the facts, and assert that any short-
term hard feelings will be overcome by long-term results. They
follow the rules as long as those rules make sense, and expect
others to do the same.
Examples of the voice of reason archetype include Jiminy
Cricket, Shug Avery, Margaret Houlihan, Randle McMurphy,
Chief Mate Starbuck, and Granny Weatherwax.
It’s easy for player characters to get so caught up in
advancing their personal agendas that they forget the point of
the adventure. The voice of reason is there to remind them.
They keep the campaign from tuning into a rambling mess,
and force characters to behave responsibly.
Background Characters
Background characters are non-player characters that
serve minor functions in adventures. They have few or no lines
of dialog. They may have partial names (Sam, Dr. Smith, Mrs.
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Jones) or just exist as job titles (waiter, taxi driver, police
officer). There’s no need to create much of anything for a
background character. Noting that they exist is enough, unless
the player character decides to interact with them. In that
case, you can either add details on the fly, or point out that it’s
just a background character with no story significance.
Stages of Life
There are some things that all people, real or fictional, have
in common. We’re born, we grow up, we find jobs or careers,
we fall in love, and at some point we die. Every character is
somewhere in that cycle, or transitioning from one stage of life
to another. Each stage presents a different set of personal
obstacles that need to be faced and overcome.
Using Stages of Life

By understanding the stage of life that a character is
currently in, you’ll know what they’ve already experienced and
what potentially lies ahead for them. That will help you later
when determining their needs, goals, and motivations. A child
has different needs than an adolescent or a character in
mature adulthood. A character seeking belonging, or heading
into the world on their own for the first time, has different
goals and motivations than one safely taken care of at home.
The point is that characters are always moving away from
something and toward something else. No matter what they
want, no matter what else they do, their circumstances will
change. This creates points for conflicts to occur. How the
character deals with those conflicts creates potential for
background details, adventure hooks, and even worldbuilding.
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While a character’s innate aptitudes will stay the same or
decline over the course of their life, their life experiences will
broaden, deepen, and change. There is no set formula for the
degree and timing of these changes. This will be explained in
greater detail in the sections on aptitudes and life experiences.
The stages of life that we’ll deal with here are Childhood,
Adolescence, Separation from Parents, Initiation, Romance,
Midlife, Mature Adulthood, and Death.
CHILDHOOD
The span of time from birth to adolescence constitutes the
character’s formative years. The things that happen during
this stage can affect them for the rest of their life. How they are
able to relate to parents and siblings later on begins here. The
relationships they have with other children, teachers and
other adults will affect other relationships going forward. The
general stability of their life during childhood will impact how
they see the world. What happens in the character’s childhood
that sets the stage for future conflicts.
ADOLESCENCE
During adolescences characters are trapped between
childhood and adulthood. They are only beginning to figure
out who they are and what they want to be. As with childhood,
their quality of life during this period will shape their world
view. The types of relationships they have will set the pattern
for future relationships. Among other things, most characters
will have their first romantic encounters during adolescence.
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SEPARATION FROM PARENTS
At some point during late adolescence or early adulthood,
the character will go off on their own. They will have to learn
to fend for themselves. The reason for the separation could be
to college, become apprenticed to a master and learn a trade,
join the military, or get a job. They will learn to operate
independently of their previous financial and emotional
support systems, and develop new ones. During this time most
characters also develop their first serious romantic
relationship, and take the first steps along their career path.
INITIATION
All people want a sense of belonging. At some point every
character will join a group. It might be a formal organization
with a stated purpose, or a bunch of friends who hang out and
engage in common interests. The group might be related to the
character’s career goal, a favorite hobby, or shared ideologies.
Relationships will be formed that will last a lifetime, and the
character will get their first opportunities to network.
ROMANCE
At some point most characters will form some sort of
lasting romantic partnership. It might not be marriage, but it
will involve commitment. Alternately, the character may
decide against taking a partner for some reason. They may be
unable to find the right person to settle down with. This is a
major milestone in a character’s life and this relationship, or
lack thereof, will affect all sorts of other major life decisions.
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MIDLIFE
There is a point in adulthood where the character becomes
settled. They’ve completed their education, are supposed to be
established in their career, and are expected to have a
relationship and possibly a family. All of the milestones have
been checked off. Most cultures push people in that direction
and use those things to define success. It’s the things the
character hasn’t done, or has done in an unconventional way,
that creates conflict during this stage. New issues arise as job
needs change, children grow, and health issues begin to set in.
MATURE ADULTHOOD
Age catches up to everyone. Physical health and mental
faculties begin to slip. People retire when they can, continue
working if they have to, and worry about surviving on a fixed
income. The challenges of later life are unique because they’re
often defined by what the character can no longer do, and
what they never did, rather than their accomplishments. It can
be comforting or terrifying, because to make it this far means
there’s really only one stage of life left to go.
DEATH
Death is a wild card, because it can come during any stage
of life. Other people in the character’s life will pass. Sometimes
there will be time to prepare and accept it, and sometimes
there won’t. Accidents, illnesses, and old age will take their
toll. Losing people will affect the character. It will alter the way
they make choice about their life. They will begin to think
about, or try to avoid thinking about, their own mortality.
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Character Dimensions
Every character exists in three dimensions: their
physiology, their sociology, and their psychology. This section
will cover each of those dimensions in depth, and explain how
each serves to shape the character. Not only will each element
help in describing the character, it will introduce the potential
for internal and external conflict that can be mined for story
elements.
Physiology Dimension
Description: The dimension related to the character’s
body, health, and appearance.
Purpose: To understand the character’s relationship to and
feelings about their body, and find elements related to that.
Modifiers: Components that might be compared to a
cultural baseline include age, body language, coloration,
distinguishing marks, facial expressions, health, height and
weight, and sex and gender.
Story Points: Unanswered questions could include
whether the character was like this in all stages of life, if they
changed into their current state, and how this impacts
components of their sociology and psychology dimensions.
Incidental worldbuilding implies that there are cultural
standards and baselines for these components.
Physiology deals with the character’s body and biology.
This dimension impacts how people feel about themselves,
and how others perceive them. It’s not just about what the
character looks like, but how their appearance affects their
outlook on life. In prose fiction, the character’s physiology is
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often the least important thing about them. In visual media it’s
still not important a lot of the time, but it can still matter.
Characters with a positive outlook regarding their
physiology might view it as a way to rise above a low or
middling socioeconomic status. Being attractive or good at
sports might be considered a means to get out of a bad
situation. If the character is of a higher socioeconomic status,
they may consider positive physiology as their due. They
might also allow it to influence their psychology in a number
of ways. They could feel grateful and willing to pay it forward,
or it might make them more inclined to be outgoing. They can
also end up egotistical, narcissistic, and shallow.
Characters with a negative outlook on their physiology
might be in a low socio-economic status as a result. Poor
health, as an example, can limit opportunities and incur
expenses. Characters in better socioeconomic statuses may
not feel that their physiology matters as much to their success,
but may still limit them in other ways. They could feel bad
about themselves, especially if others react poorly to their
health and appearance. They might also be driven to work
harder in other areas, as a way of compensating for physical
limitations or issues. It can have internal and external impacts
on their self-image and possibly their mental health.
While there are several components that can be included
in a character’s physiology dimension, they don’t have to be
created as individual elements. Rather, the outstanding pieces
should be used to create the character’s overall physiology
element.
The physiology dimension elements below are listed
alphabetically. None are objectively more important than any
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other. Your character may have priorities, and the reasons for
their emphasis on particular elements should factor into their
dimensions. Modifiers could be applied to most elements of
physiology, in accordance with the system of your choice, if
you wanted to do so.
Caveat: Normative is subjective. What is typical in one
setting may be strange and unusual in another. In this book no
judgments are being made and should not be inferred, but
within your setting characters will hold opinions about what is
“normal”, acceptable, and desirable regarding health and
appearance and what isn’t. These are sources of conflict that
can be addressed in your adventures or incorporate into your
worldbuilding.
AGE
This element parallels stage of life as documented earlier
in this book. It is often used to gauge a relative baseline for
other elements, such as aptitudes, life experience, and general
world view. Does the character feel that they’re where they
should be by this age? Do other people make generalizations
about them because they’re younger or older?
BODY LANGUAGE
These are the gestures and movements the character
makes when expressing various emotions. Sometimes these
are interesting character bits. There is no modifier system for
this element, unless you want to quantify that they are more
or less expressive than the average person. Personal and
cultural reactions to certain facial expressions will vary.
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COLORATION
This refers to the character’s skin tone, hair color, and eye
color. Within the setting this could be a partial indicator of
race, ethnicity, or species. There is no modifier system for this
element, although people whose coloration falls outside of
what is considered normative for the setting may find it to be a
source of conflict. Bigots always seen to exist, even in fictional
settings.
DISTINGUISHING MARKS
This refers to everything from scars to tattoos and
piercings. There could be cultural reasons for members of
certain groups to carry specific marks. Tattoos could be a
personal choice, and scars can reflect accidents and fight that
occurred in the character’s backstory. There is no modifier
system for this element, although people whose distinguishing
marks fall outside of what is considered normative for the
setting may find them to be a source of conflict.
FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
These are the faces the character makes when expressing
various emotions. Sometimes these are interesting character
bits. There is no modifier system for this element, although
personal and cultural reactions to certain facial expressions
will vary. They might be more broadly expressive, or less open
with their emotions, than the norm for the setting.
FASHION SENSE
A case could be made that the way a character dresses
could fall under the psychology dimension, because all sorts of
other life choices can feed into it. Sociology can factor in, as an
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expression of culture of economic status. As most people
associate it with appearance, it’s listed here under physiology.
Personal style can be a source of conflict when it falls outside
of what’s considered normative.
HEALTH
This element is a reflection of the character’s overall
wellness and physical fitness. Having good health may require
discipline regarding diet and exercise, which can present
challenges. Poor health can offer a variety of obstacles that the
character will need to work around.
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

How tall a character is, and how much they weigh, can
present challenges. There may be associated health issues, or
obstacles when engaging in physical activity. Other people
might treat characters in the extremes differently, and even a
slight shift from the baseline can affect self-esteem. Both
height and weight can be combined into one element, or used
as separate elements, depending how you wish to describe the
character.
SEX AND GENDER

This refers to the character’s biological sex, gender
identity, sexual preference, and so on. You can break this down
into separate elements as you wish, to reflect the way you
want your character to identify, how you plan to handle it in
the context of your worldbuilding, and so on. What is
considered normative can be a source of contention, just as in
the real world, and can be addressed through adventures or
through assorted elements of the setting.
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Sociology Dimension
Description: The dimension related to the character’s
social and financial status.
feelings about their social and financial status, and find
elements related to that.
Modifiers: Components subject to comparison to a cultural
baseline include social class, education, entertainment,
environment, hobbies, nationality, occupation, politics, race and
ethnicity, and religion.
components of their physiology and psychology dimensions.
Socioeconomic status affects the character’s quality of life,
as well as their self-esteem. This dimension is about the
character’s finances on the context of the setting, and their
social status relative to the levels that have been established
within your worldbuilding. It can impact how others perceive
them inasmuch as they know the character's background, or
can see behaviors assumed to stem from such a background.
Characters with a stable socioeconomic situation may have
better access to proper nutrition and quality health care. If
they have physiological problems, they may be better situated
to receive necessary treatment. They don’t necessarily have
fewer psychological issues, but may have different ones. They
are likely have better access to therapy and medical treatment.
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Issues of self-image will be related to their level of
achievement, rather than ability to simply survive.
Characters with a difficult socioeconomic situation may be
inclined to engage in behaviors that result in poor physiology,
such as smoking, drinking, drug use, and other dangerous
activities. They may also have limited access to support
systems that allow them to avoid or overcome physiological
problems. They may be more prone to things like depression
and anxiety. The might be more inclined to self-medicate with
alcohol or drugs. They may also get tough and find the
motivation to work harder, so they can rise out of their current
circumstances.
in a character’s sociology dimension, they don’t have to be
should be used to create the character’s overall sociology
element.
The elements below are listed alphabetically. None are
objectively more important than any other. Your character may
have priorities, and the reasons for their emphasis on
particular elements should factor into their dimensions.
SOCIAL CLASS
A character’s social class is often defined by their access to
resources, the prestige of their occupation, or the social strata
of their family. Class consciousness may create internal
conflicts, if the character wishes to climb higher or struggles to
retain their current level. It may also be a source of confidence,
or even arrogance, which can create other sorts of conflicts.
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EDUCATION
This is the character’s general education. It reflects
common knowledge, local culture, and the things that
everyone in the setting is presumed to know. It doesn’t
indicate native intelligence, which is covered in the section on
aptitudes. It also does not include specialized knowledge,
which is handled in the section on life experiences.
ENTERTAINMENT
This is a listing of the types of things the character does for
amusement. It is not ranked, unless there is one particular
activity that nearly everyone in the adventure is involved with.
In that instance, you could rank their level of involvement.
Conflict can arise when people don’t agree that something is
entertaining.
ENVIRONMENT
This is a description of the type of place the character
comes from. For example, do they hail from the city or the
country? Did they grow up in the mountains, or on the ocean?
It can reflect the type of environment they are comfortable in.
Conflict can arise when others make assumptions about
people from certain types of environments.
HOBBIES
This is a listing of the types of hobbies that the character
actively engages in. It is not ranked, unless nearly everyone in
the adventure is engaged in the same hobby. In that case, it
might be ranked by level of involvement, but should probably
be listed under experiences instead. Conflict can arise when
people think a hobby is trivial, involves illegal activity, or
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fosters disagreement on what constitutes the proper approach
to the hobby.
NATIONALITY
This is a statement of the character’s citizenship, or the
country they originate from. It is not ranked, but a level of
patriotism or nationalism can be reflected some arbitrary
baseline based on political majority. Feelings about other
races, cultures, political systems, and religion often get tangled
up with nationality, and can be a source of conflict.
OCCUPATION
This is the career that the character self-identifies with. It
is not ranked, and abilities should be reflected in the
character’s aptitudes and experiences. Occupation can be a
reflection of class, as some jobs are held in high esteem and
others are looked down upon. It can also impact a character’s
self-image, if they do something they love, work simply to
survive, or feel trapped in a job they despise.
POLITICS
This is a reflection of the character’s political awareness. It
is independent of their views, which can be stated but are not
subject to modifiers. It is also an indicator of how informed the
character is, at least about their own political beliefs if not the
positions held by their opponents. Having a positive modifier
in politics doesn’t make the character a politician, just a
citizen. You may choose to break how politically active and
how informed they are into separate modifiers; it’s possible to
know a lot but not speak up, and vice-versa.
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RACE AND ETHNICITY
Race and ethnicity are social constructs used to type
people by culture and ancestry. As such, they are listed here
rather than under physiology. A character might self-identify
with a group as a point of pride in community, or be labeled as
such by others. There is no modifier system here, but a
character’s race and ethnicity may be a source of conflict.
Individuals within a group may have ideas about how
members of that group should behave, and people outside the
group may have biases.
RELIGION
Was the character raised in a specific religion or
denomination? Do they still practice it? Have they converted to
another religion, or abandoned religion? What happened to
drive them to change? How does their view of religion affect
their interactions with other people? Within a setting a
character might be more or less religious than the baseline,
leading to all manner of conflicts.
Psychology Dimension
Description: The dimension reflecting the character’s
mental health and emotional well-being.
feelings about their mental health and emotional well-being,
and find elements related to that.
Modifiers: Components that might be described in relation
to a theoretical baseline include emotional stability, impulse
control, open-mindedness, social engagement, and social
harmony.
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components of their physiology and sociology dimensions.
Psychology is in many ways the synthesis of physiology
and sociology. It reflects the character’s mental health, and to
some degree their world view and ability to cope with difficult
emotions. The character's ambitions, attitudes, frustrations,
and complexes are built upon from their physical and
socioeconomic influences. It reflects their conscious and
unconscious decisions and behaviors.
Characters with a healthy psychological profile are more
likely to be accepting of their physiological elements, no
whether they’re positive or negative. They may be grateful for
good health, and be more likely do what’s required to handle
other physical issues appropriately. They understand that low
socioeconomic status may not be entirely their fault. This
allows them to maintain a positive self-image in difficult
circumstances, and to rise above their current status. They
likewise might appreciate that a positive socioeconomic is a
gift they didn’t earn, and work to build a self-esteem based on
merit.
Characters with a more delicate psychological profile may
be self-destructive. They may not take care of their physical
health, which can exacerbate mental issues. If they have
positive physiological elements, they may leverage those to
support their mental outlook, or have a distorted self-image
based on their beneficial elements. They might be more
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inclined to lean on their socioeconomic status. While social
status impacts their quality of life, they may feel that they have
no control over their lives. They might feel that, good or bad,
they’ve been given what they deserve. They might also resent
over that they feel are less deserving.
in a character’s psychology dimension, they don’t have to be
should be used to create the character’s overall psychology
element.
The psychology dimension elements below are listed
alphabetically. None are objectively more important than any
other. Your character may have priorities, and the reasons for
their emphasis on particular elements should factor into their
dimensions.
EMOTIONAL STABILITY
This element is a measure of how well the character is able
to self-regulate their feelings and, more to the point, how they
control and express them. Emotional stability includes the way
the character handles stress, their ability to balance feelings
with reason in the actions and decisions, and how they
operate under pressure.
IMPULSE CONTROL
This element is a reflection of the character’s self-
discipline. Impulse control includes how careful, thorough,
and deliberate the character is, versus being disorganized,
unreliable, and easy-going.
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OPEN-MINDEDNESS
This element reflects the character’s openness to new
experiences and ideas. Open-mindedness includes acceptance
of new ideas, tolerance of differences in other people,
intellectual curiosity, and imagination.
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
This element measures the character’s comfort level with
social interaction, as well as their ability to be alone. Social
engagement is also a measure of how talkative and assertive,
versus quiet and low-key, they are likely to be.
SOCIAL HARMONY
This element reflects the character’s level of empathy and
compassion toward other people. Social harmony includes
genuine kindness, consideration, generosity, and warmth. It
indicates the character’s view of human nature.
Motivations
Description: The element reflecting what inspires the
character and drives them forward through their life.
Purpose: To understand the character’s reasons for doing
things, and derived elements from that.
Modifiers: Components that could be described in relation
to the baseline include the character’s physical, social,
psychological, and stage of life needs. The goal components of
ambition, stakes, and obstacles can also be compared to a
baseline.
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Story Points: Unanswered questions could include the life
events that led to adopting these motivations. Incidental
worldbuilding could be built around the stakes and obstacles.
In this section, we’ll look at how to determine the
character’s needs, and how those can be mined for story
points. Why is the character doing what they’re doing right
now? What are their personal goals, independent of their goals
within the adventure? What do they stand to gain if they
succeed? What do they stand to lose if they fail? What is their
prevailing need at the moment?
There are several components that can be included in a
character’s needs or goals, but they shouldn’t be created as
individual elements. The notable pieces should be used to
create the character’s overall motivation elements. A character
might have several goals, relation to different areas of their
life. For a tabletop roleplaying campaign, it’s best to focus on
one or possibly two at a time.
Character Needs
A character’s needs are those things necessary to their
survival. They may be things they don’t have, things they’re
running out of, or things they need to acquire in order to
accomplish a goal. They are closely tied to their physiology,
sociology, and psychology dimensions, as well as the stage of
life they’re moving into. The inability to meet personal needs,
and the things the character must do to meet their needs, are
excellent sources of drama.
PHYSIOLOGY NEEDS
Physiology needs are the most basic requirements for
human survival. These are absolute necessities like food,
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clothing, shelter, breathable air, and drinkable water. If these
requirements can’t be met, the character’s body will ultimately
fail. These needs have to be met before a character can even
begin to address their sociology and psychology needs, or
worry about making it to the next stage of life. Both resources
and circumstances can contribute to the state of the
character’s physiological needs.
If a character has high modifiers in their physiology
dimension, their needs may be driven by what is required to
maintain those modifiers. If the character has low
physiological modifiers, their needs will be around what it
takes to rise higher, or at least fall no further.
SOCIOLOGY NEEDS
Sociology needs include friendship, intimacy, and family
ties. Lacking those emotional connections can impact the
character’s well-being and their ability to form and maintain
healthy relationships. The character needs a feeling of
belonging and acceptance within social groups and
organizations. The character’s personality, the actions of other
characters, and general circumstances can contribute to the
state of the character’s sociological needs.
If a character has high modifiers in their sociology
maintain those modifiers. If the character has low sociological
modifiers, their needs will be around what it takes to rise
higher, or at least fall no further.
PSYCHOLOGY NEEDS
Psychology needs include the character’s feeling about
their security, self-esteem, and behaviors. This can include
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either stress or comfort about physical safety, financial well-
being, health, and relationships. It could be the condition of
their overall mental health, or how they regard their ability to
make sound life decisions.
If a character has high modifiers in their psychology
maintain those modifiers. If the character has low
psychological modifiers, their needs will be around what it
takes to rise higher, or at least fall no further.
STAGE OF LIFE NEEDS

Each stage of life has its own needs, and each character will
have different requirements for transitioning between stages.
These may be physiological, sociological, or psychological in
nature, or specific to the stage itself. Children and adolescents
grow up, but they also need to complete schooling and learn
certain lessons. Romance requires finding a partner, and
initiation requires joining a group. Aging at any stage will
being specific health and financial needs.
Looking back over the questions you answered for your
character in the stages of lie section, you should be able to
identify some needs. What does the character need to do in
order to move forward? Are there any physical, social, or
psychological hurdles they must get over, other than the
natural passage of time?
Goals
A goal is a character’s plan to meet a need. The adventure
might be the execution of that plan, or otherwise tie into the
achievement of that goal. There might be conflict between the
character’s goal and the goal of the adventure. In any case, the
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decisions the character makes and the actions they take will
be influenced by their personal objectives.
The three parts to a goal are the character’s ambition, the
stakes, and the obstacles. You need all three to create a goal
worthy of inclusion in an adventure. Every goal that the
character has should be described and ranked separately.
AMBITIONS
How badly does the character want to achieve their goal?
What are they willing to do in order to get it? This is
independent of the stakes (below), because some people will
go all-out for little reward, and others wouldn’t life a finger to
stop the world from burning. It’s also separate from the
obstacles (farther below), because it’s not about how hard the
tasks are. It’s about how driven the character is.
STAKES
The stakes tied to a goal have two components. The first
are the rewards, what will happen if the character succeeds.
What will they, or other characters, get out of it? The other are
the consequences that the character may suffer if the goal isn’t
achieved. The two don’t need to be balanced, but they will
both be there even if the sole consequence is not gaining the
reward, and the only reward is that they avoid the potential
consequence.
Rewards and consequences can be ranked separately,
above or below the baseline. They can be combined if they’re
both on the same level. Remember that creating conflict is
what drives adventure, so mismatched good and bad results
can be interesting in terms of character development,
worldbuilding, and storytelling.
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OBSTACLES
An obstacle is anything that prevents a character from
achieving their goal. They might be put in place by a villain or
arise as a matter of circumstance. The modifiers for obstacles
should reflect the stakes, and be modified in turn by the
character’s ambition.
The more there is to gain or lose, the harder the obstacles
need to be. The more ambitious the character is to achieve
their goals, the greater the quantity and quality of obstacles
that you can throw at them without fear that they’ll just quit
and go home. The objective is to make the adventure feel right
based on what could happen and how driven the character is.
Obstacles have to provide the proper amount of challenge
without making it feel like the goal’s not worth the effort.
Aptitudes
Description: The character’s innate abilities.
Purpose: To see the broader categories of the character’s
natural talents, and develop elements from there.
Modifiers: Aptitudes that could be described in relation to
the baseline include body, empathy, language, morality,
musical, nature, reason, reflection, spiritual, and visualization.
whether these talents run in the family, and how they learned
to leverage them. Incidental worldbuilding implies that there
are exceptional people both above and below the baseline.
Aptitudes are broad categories of abilities that the
character is innately good at. Think of them as natural,
undirected talent. In Dungeons & Dragons these are the
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characters six core attributes (Strength, Dexterity, and so on).
Warhammer Fantasy Role Play calls them characteristics. For
Fate Accelerated these would equate to approaches. A
character’s aptitude is the raw force behind the refined,
practical applications of life experiences. They work together.
The application of aptitude is limited without the life
experience to guide and direct it, so aptitude alone is never
enough.
All of this will be handled by the system of your choice.
What you need to be concerned with here are the ways that
the character’s aptitudes might shape their outlook on life, and
the choices that they make. If you think of the things you’d like
them to be good at, it will help when buying, assigning, or
otherwise working with the numerical statistics of the game.
Not every aptitude needs to be created as an element. Only
the ones that are especially outstanding should be fleshed out.
If it affects the way that the character might be roleplayed,
connects them to the setting, or suggests adventure hooks, it’s
worth spending some time on.
BODY APTITUDE
The character’s body aptitude reflects how well they
understand and relate to their physical being. It includes
everything from knowing their own strength, applying their
agility, and using fine motor skills. It’s not about what they’ve
got, it’s about how effectively they’re able to use it. Body
aptitude is important for dancers and athletes, surgeons and
craftsmen.
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EMPATHY APTITUDE
The character’s empathy aptitude shows how well they
understand and get along with other people. This reflects the
character’s natural level of interpersonal skills. Empathy
aptitude will impact how they relate to other people, how they
are able to communicate and express themselves, and how
they are able to form and maintain relationships.
LANGUAGE APTITUDE
This aptitude is a measure of how well they are able to
communicate and understand written and verbal languages.
This impacts their level of literacy, the ability to learn new
concepts, and their use of words to express thoughts, feelings,
and concepts.
MORALITY APTITUDE
The character’s morality aptitude is an indicator of how
well they grasp the concepts of right and wrong. It reflects
their ability to balance the needs of others with their own
personal wants. Morality aptitude allows a character to see all
sides of an issue and make decisions based on their personal
ideals as well as the values of their society.
MUSICAL APTITUDE
The musical aptitude shows how well the character
understands and relates to sound and rhythm. It impacts their
ability to sing, play instruments, recite metered poetry, and
compose songs. Musical aptitude impacts the character’s
ability to enjoy various forms of entertainment, and to engage
in select means of self-expression.
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NATURE APTITUDE
The nature aptitude reflects how well the character
understands and relates to flora, fauna, and other aspects of
the material world. This includes the ability to see patterns in
behavior, connections within ecosystems, and developing an
awareness of their surroundings. Nature aptitude allows the
character to appreciate and understand the outdoors,
including areas like weather, terrain, and the stars in the sky.
REASON APTITUDE
The character’s reason aptitude is a gauge of how well they
grasp and utilize logic, critical thinking, and abstraction. It is
the ability to apply logic, determine patterns, and solve
problems. Reason aptitude affects they character’s ability to
form rational conclusions and make decisions based on the
information they have available.
REFLECTION APTITUDE
The character’s reflection aptitude shows how well they
know their own mind and understand their feelings. It is the
source of wisdom, intuition, and will. Reflection aptitude helps
characters sort out their goals and desires, and clearly and
objectively see their personal issues.
SPIRITUAL APTITUDE
How well the character grasps their relationship to the
bigger picture. It is the character’s ability to find meaning and
higher purpose in life. Spiritual aptitude allows for personal
growth and qualities like courage and selflessness.
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VISUALIZATION APTITUDE
The character’s visualization aptitude measures how well
they can grasp and utilize physical space. This means gauging
distances, volumes, and other two-and three-dimensional
concepts. Visualization aptitude means leveraging imagination
for art, navigation, and other tasks involving spacial thinking.
Using Aptitude Elements

There are a few important points that need to be made
about aptitudes. The first is that you don’t need to use them
all. Outside of the requirements of your game system of choice,
not every character has to possess some degree of every
aptitude. If something isn’t a defining element, positive or
negative, skip it.
Second, not every setting needs to use every aptitude. If
the needs of the adventure mean that certain types of abilities
won’t ever come up, ignore them. Focus on and showcase what
you need.
Third, you can and should rename the aptitudes presented
here to best suit the flavor of your campaign. Use the sort of
vocabulary appropriate to your genre and setting. Make it
grittier, funnier, or scarier, or whatever best reinforces the
tone you want for the game.
Finally, feel free to make up your own aptitudes if your
adventure and characters need something that isn’t
represented here. No system can realistically be all things to
all people, so if something you need isn’t here, you have
permission to tweak it.
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Aptitude Modifiers
For the most part any numerical bonuses or penalties will
be handled by your system of choice. It’s still worthwhile to
consider the character’s natural talents in relation to the
baseline. If they are somehow exceptional, this will affect how
other people perceive and treat them. It can impact how they
feel about themselves, whether they are above or below the
baseline. It makes them different, and that can be good of bad.
When looking at the character’s backstory, how to roleplay
them, their aptitudes have to be taken into consideration. The
reactions of others, and how far above or below they are in
relation to the baseline can imply things about the setting, and
be spun off into adventure seeds.
Aptitudes and Stages of Life

A character’s aptitudes will change as they cycle through
the various stages of life. The four relevant stages here are
childhood, adolescence, midlife, and mature adulthood. While
each character is different, children tend to have lower ability
modifiers. These will increase in adolescence, and reach their
peak by midlife. Heading into mature adulthood, aptitudes will
begin to decline. When assigning modifiers, bear those
changes in mind.
Life Experiences
Description: The element that reflects what the character
has seen, done, and learned up to the present moment.
Purpose: To create an overview of the things that have
happened in the character’s past, and create elements based
on those events.
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Modifiers: Life experiences that can be described in
relation to the baseline include Academic, Artistic, Athletic,
Creative, Cultural, Investigative, Martial, Persuasive,
Professional, and Transport experiences.
Story Points: Unanswered questions could include how
the character gained these experiences and learned from
them. Incidental worldbuilding implies the need for these
skills and the environments in which they are both learned
and used.
Life experiences represent the things that a character has
seen and done in their life so far. They encompass education
and training they’ve received, jobs they’ve held, and even the
cultural, political, and religious backgrounds they come from.
A character’s past experiences are what will equip them with
the abilities necessary to tackle the needs of the present
adventure. In practical terms these are D&D’s classes and
skills, Fate’s stunts and certain types of aspects, and
Warhammer’s careers.
A character’s experiences are the refined, practical
applications of aptitude. They work together. All of the
experience in the world is meaningless if the character has no
aptitude in that area, so experience alone is never enough.
Any experience can theoretically be used in conjunction with
any aptitude, as long as the combination makes sense.
Different applications of the same experience can be used with
different aptitudes.
It is possible for a character to have the same type of
experience more than once, in a separate but related field. For
example, a degree in biology would be considered an academic
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experience. If the character has also studied history, that
would be a separate academic experience.
This book makes no distinction as to how the character
acquired the experience element; there is no difference here
between formal study and practical application. The amount of
time they’ve spent gathering experience is not a factor either;
some character learn quickly, while others require time to pick
things up. Likewise, there is no innate indicator as whether the
field of experience has breadth, depth, or both (as explained
farther down). The details and explanations behind a
character’s experience belong in the backstory.
Not every category of life experience needs to be created as
an element. Only the ones that are especially outstanding
should be fleshed out. If it affects the way that the character
might be roleplayed, connects them to the setting, or suggests
adventure hooks, it’s worth spending some time on.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES
The character’s academic experiences reflect their
scholarly pursuits. This includes disciplines like humanities,
social sciences, natural sciences, formal sciences, and even
general knowledge. Academic experiences are important for
the character to become a well-rounded person.
ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES
The character’s artistic experiences indicate their level of
engagement with various visual art forms. This includes
painting, illustration, design, fashion, and sculpture. Artistic
experiences are important if the character has an occupation
involving the crafting of physical objects.
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ATHLETIC EXPERIENCES
The character’s athletic experiences are drawn from the
forms of physical exertion they engage in. This includes a
variety of sports, exercise, and recreational activities. Athletic
experiences are important to the character’s general health,
and come in handy during action and adventure stories.
CREATIVE EXPERIENCES
The character’s creative experiences indicate how well
they can leverage their imagination and find original solutions
to problems. This includes finding ways around limitations,
using resources wisely, and inventing new things. Creative
experiences are important because otherwise the character is
limited to what other people have already figured out.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
The character’s cultural experiences indicate their grasp of
social custom, practices, and expectations. This includes
national or ethnic traditions, religious values, and the written
and unwritten rules of a community. Cultural experiences are
important because they allow the character to understand and
fit in with society.
INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIENCES
The character’s investigative experiences show their
resourcefulness in gathering information, verifying its
accuracy, and drawing conclusions from the data. This
includes scientists, detectives, journalists, spies, explorers, and
historians. Investigative experiences are important if the
character requires a steady source of intelligence to achieve
their goals.
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MARTIAL EXPERIENCES
The character’s martial experiences reflect their expertise
with various forms of combat and tactics. This includes hand-
to-hand techniques, melee weapons use, firearms use, and
other methods of hurting people and breaking things. Martial
experience is important for characters who are soldiers and
action heroes.
PERSUASIVE EXPERIENCES
The character’s persuasive experiences indicate their
ability to convince people to see things their way. This includes
acting, singing, selling, negotiating, being seductive, lying, and
interrogation. Persuasive experiences are important because
everyone needs to talk people into or out of something to get
what they want in life.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
The character’s professional experiences are a gauge of
their qualifications in a career that requires special training
and certification. These include skilled occupations like doctor,
lawyer, teacher, engineer, electrician, and mechanic.
Professional experience goes beyond knowledge of the job
itself, and extends to an understanding of the culture and
operations within the entire field.
TRANSPORT EXPERIENCES
The character’s transport experiences show their
proficiency with using the most common means of getting
around within the setting. This could mean riding a horse in
an historical or fantasy adventure, driving a car in the modern
world, or piloting a starship in a science fictional future.
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Transport experiences are often important for both
employment opportunities and quality of life.
Using Experience Elements

There are a few important points that need to be made
about experiences. The first is that you don’t need to use them
all. Not every character will have had all of these types of
experiences. If they haven’t seen or done a particular thing in
the course of their life so far, leave it out.
Second, not every setting needs to use every category of
experience. If the needs of the adventure mean that certain
types of experiences aren’t relevant, ignore them. Focus on
and showcase what you need. Look to the skills and abilities
available in your system of choice to get a feel for what the
game designers considered to be relevant.
Third, you can and should rename the experiences
presented here to best suit the flavor of your campaign. Use
the sort of vocabulary appropriate to your setting. Find the
appropriate equivalents for the genre, time, and place of your
adventure.
Finally, feel free to make up your own experience elements
if your adventures, setting, or characters need something not
represented here. No system can realistically be all things to
all people, so if something you need isn’t here, you have
permission to tweak it.
Breadth and Depth

Any experience may be broad (a little knowledge of every
aspect in a given field), deep (a lot of knowledge in a specific
segment of a field), or both. This should be noted when listing
the character’s experience elements. Sometimes, it is evident
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in the name of the experience. For example, a doctor could be a
general practitioner, meaning he knows a fair amount about all
fields of medicine. Alternately, they may be a cardiologist or
oncologist, and have deep knowledge in a specialized field of
medicine.
A character with broad experiences will know about more
things than a character with deep experiences, but a character
with deep experiences will know more about their specialty
than a character with broad experiences.
In practical terms, this will come down to how you choose
to roleplay your character. The game mechanics you’re using
will likely adjudicate whether a character’s abilities are meant
to be broad or deep. When in doubt, gamemasters can apply
conditional modifiers; a character might have a bonus to
breadth of knowledge, but a penalty to depth, or vice-versa.
Experience Modifiers
While the game system will handle this numerically, you
might want to keep note of where a character’s various
experiences fall in relation to the baseline. If can be relevant to
their backstory, and might influence player choices as the
character develops. Are they lacking professional experiences
because of their socioeconomic status? Do they have an above-
average amount of martial experiences because they’ve been
with the military since they were 15 years old? These things
might be relevant to who the character is, how they fit into the
setting, and what types of adventure hooks they inspire.
Experiences and Stages of Life

A character’s experience elements will change as they cycle
through the stages of life. The relevant stages here are
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childhood, adolescence, initiation, midlife, and mature
adulthood. modifiers will be at their lowest in childhood,
increasing in adolescence and initiation as the character goes
through periods of concentrated learning. Experiences reach
their peak around midlife, when the character is typically at
the height of their career. During mature adulthood, they may
begin to decline as the character stops keeping up with new
developments, retiring from their lifelong career or slipping
into less active roles
Resources
Description: The element that indicates the sorts of
connections and equipment at the character’s disposal.
Purpose: To document the things that the character has
available to them, so that additional elements can be
developed from there.
Modifiers: Resources that could be defined in relation to
the baseline in terms of quality or quantity include clothing,
contacts, equipment, housing, information, personal
possessions, relationships, reputation, transportation, and
wealth.
Story Points: Unanswered questions could involve how the
character came to acquire these resources, and if this has been
there baseline through all stage of life. Incidental
worldbuilding involves the entire supply chain that allows
these resources to exist in the world, and the history of their
development and use.
Every character will have various types of resources at
their disposal, including money, material possessions, and
connections to useful and helpful people. The exact resources
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available will depend on the genre, time, place, and tone
established for your adventure. What the character has access
to will be affected by their background, as well as the needs of
the adventure.
Not every resources that the character has access to needs
to be developed as an element. If there is something
exceptional about it, however, you might consider adding
some details. Any resources that affects how the character will
be roleplayed, connects them to the setting in a meaningful
way, or opens the door to possible adventures, ought to be
explored as an element.
You can create a separate element for each type of resource
if it seems appropriate to do so. For example, if the character
has some things that are well above the baseline, while others
are below it, that could warrant an explanation. Otherwise you
can create a single element for resources, calling out individual
categories as components.
CLOTHING
The character’s clothing has two dimensions, function and
fashion. It has to protect them from the elements and other
possible hazards, but it also needs to be stylish and look good.
Clothing as a resource includes any professional attire
uniforms, armor, or special garments the character needs.
CONTACTS
The character’s contacts are people they know who can
provide them with other resources they can’t get themselves.
This includes material goods, services, and information.
Contacts may be non-player characters in the adventure.
Having contacts is important, because no character can
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reasonably or realistically have and do everything they need.
Having other people to rely on and interact with makes for a
better adventure.
EQUIPMENT
The character’s equipment includes anything they need to
live their life, do their job, and engage in their hobbies. This
includes all of the tools of their particular trade. No itemized
lists need to be made, because what’s missing or what’s extra
can be determined by their equipment modifier. Acquiring,
replacing, and upgrading equipment can be a source of
conflict, or a reward for meeting adventure goals.
HOUSING
The character’s housing is their living situation. This
includes houses, apartments, and rented rooms. It’s a place to
sleep, rest, interact with other characters, and store their stuff.
Housing can be described in as much or as little as you need,
and ought to be heavily influenced by the setting and genre of
your campaign.
INFORMATION
The character’s information resource means they have
some bit of knowledge that no one else has. It might be a
secret, a diary, photographs, a map, or other bit of esoteric
data. They might use this for leverage, blackmailing people
with it, or it might be the key to some grand adventure.
Information gives the character some sort of power.
PERSONAL POSSESSIONS
The character’s possessions are their ordinary stuff and
personal effects. This includes photos, knickknacks, souvenirs,
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and collections. Possessions are important to the character,
but probably not worth very much to anyone else.
RELATIONSHIPS
The character’s relationships are the people they are
closest to. This includes family, friends, lovers, mentors, and
even pets. Relationships are important because they humanize
the character. They offer opportunities to present different
sides of the character that may not be visible while they’re
deep in the adventure or pursuing personal goals.
REPUTATION
The character’s reputation is what people think of them.
This is based on both the behavior they display and the things
that they have accomplished. I can also be based on rumor,
gossip, disinformation, and propaganda. Reputation is
important because it’s what people who don’t really know the
character use to make decisions about that character.
TRANSPORTATION
The character’s transportation is the means by which they
get around. Depending on the setting, this can be a horse, a car,
a bicycle, or some futuristic vehicle. The character is assumed
to own their transportation, or at least have reliable access to
it. Transportation is important when the adventure requires
the character to get around.
WEALTH
The character’s wealth constitutes their overall financial
situation. This includes cash, savings, investments, and any
property that can quickly and easily be sold for money. Wealth
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is important because everyone needs to pay for goods and
services in order to live.
Using Resource Elements

Not every character will have access to every type of
resource. If it’s not relevant to the character concept, useful
during the course of play, or somehow related to their
backstory, don’t worry about it. Focus on the things that help
to define the character, rather than looking for opportunities
to maximize their in-game power.
Second, not every setting needs to use every resource
element. A lot of this comes down to differentiation between
genres, and conscious choices made during the process of
worldbuilding. If the needs of the adventure and the campaign
mean that certain types of things won’t come up, ignore them.
Focus on and showcase what you need.
Third, you can and should rename the resource elements
presented here to best suit the flavor of your game. Use the
sort of vocabulary appropriate to your setting. Call things by
the vocabulary used by the character within the setting. Use it
as another opportunity for worldbuilding, then take the
reasons for the changes and mine them for adventure ideas.
Finally, feel free to make up your own resources. If your
setting, adventure, or characters need an element that isn’t
represented here, add it. No system can realistically be all
things to all people, so if something you need isn’t here, you
have permission to alter it to suit your needs.
Resources Modifiers
Some game systems already have mechanics that provide
bonuses or penalties based on the quality of the equipment a
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character is using. Let your system of choice handle that. For
the purpose of developing a character backstory, focus on
where an element falls relative to the baseline. Is the character
rich, poor, or middle class (wealth)? Do they have a lot of
personal possessions, or a few items of high quality? Is their
horse a nag, their car a beater, their spaceship the fastest hunk
of junk in the galaxy? These are the sorts of elements that say
a lot about the character, contribute to the worldbuilding, and
open up possibilities for adventure hooks (replacing below
baseline resources, for example, or having their above-
baseline goods stolen).
Wonders
Description: Special abilities such as magic, psionics, and
superpowers that the character possesses.
Purpose: To create an overview of the character’s
“powers” so that elements can be developed from them.
Modifiers: Wonders can be expressed as innate aptitudes,
learned life experiences, or a combination of the two. Variables
that could result in modifiers include the effect, activation,
duration, uses, area of effect, range, and weaknesses.
Story Points: Unanswered questions could include the
origin of the character’s abilities, and how they have affected
their life. Incidental worldbuilding implies the existence of
these wonders, the means to gain these wonders, the impact
they have upon the world.
Depending on the genre and setting of your adventure,
there may be magic, superpowers, or other supernatural
abilities available to your characters. Collectively, these will be
referred to here as wonders. They can be handled in different
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ways, depending upon the game system of your choice. For the
purpose of developing your character, we’re going to focus on
what they imply about people and the setting.
Because wonders by their nature are exceptional, they
should be developed as elements. You don’t have to develop
each wonder as a separate element, however. Not every spell
needs to be detailed, for example, but having some
information how how the character came to become a
spellcaster is notable. Likewise you don’t have to call out each
individual power, but an element covering how they came to
gain superpowers might be helpful for roleplaying,
worldbuilding, and adventure-generating purposes.
How Wonders Work

The specifics of how wonders operate, and even why they
exist, are mostly a function worldbuilding. The rules of magic
in Dungeons & Dragons are different from the rules of magic in
Vampire: The Masquerade. The ways mental powers work in
Mutants & Masterminds are completely contradictory to the
way the same powers behave in classic Traveller (yes, there
were psionics in classic Traveller, and they were a nightmare
for both players and gamemasters).
Knowing that wonders exist within the setting, how they
operate, and who gets them can be important elements in a
character’s backstory. If it’s not clearly defined in the setting,
then the character can help to flesh out those elements of
worldbuilding by answering essential questions about
wonders.
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Defining Wonder Elements
For the purposes of how the character will view wonders,
use them, and roleplay their use, we can break down the way
that they work. What follows is a generic list of components
common to spells, psionics, and superpowers. You can apply
the ideas to the way wonders work in your system of choice.
EFFECTS
This is a purely descriptive take on what the wonder looks
like in operation. Some game systems define this tightly, while
others allow the player and gamemaster to add their own
creative flourishes. Whenever possible, make a wonder reflect
the personality of the character using it. The same spell might
look differently depending upon the character casting it, even
if the mechanical effects remain identical.
ACTIVATION
Dungeons & Dragons has spell components. The Human
Torch of Fantastic Four fame yells “flame on” to activate his
superpowers. Giving a character some trigger, ritual, or other
roleplayable hook when using a wonder can be a nice
character bit. There could be some backstory as to how they
learned to do it that way, or why these select those particular
gestures or phrases.
DURATION
You don’t automatically think of how long a wonder lasts
being a character element. Consider the anxiety of a spell
expiring at the wrong moment. It leads to tactical decisions,
which affects the way the character uses the wonder, and that
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can easily turn into a bit of backstory, and adventure hook, or a
personality quirk.
USES
Many systems have limitations on how many times a
wonder can be used. A spell might be usable only a certain
number of times per day, or example. How the character deal
with this can be a reflection of their personality. Do they burn
the wonder early and hope for the best? Are they the cautious
sort that holds onto it as a finite resource, only to be brought
out in dire emergencies?
AREA OF EFFECT
The breadth of a wonder’s effect can impact a character’s
self-image. How they carry themselves knowing that they can
wipe out 20 people with a fireball is different from how they
show up when they’re aware they might cause moderate
injury to one or two people. It can be a reflection not just of
tactics, but personality. The way they roleplaying the use of the
wonder, again, can speak to past experiences, how they were
taught to use the wonder, and other backstory elements.
RANGE
How far away the character can be from a target while
using a wonder is also going to affect their mindset. Some
people like getting up close and personal, but others prefer to
keep a bit of distance. Their personality, in conjunction with
range, can either lead to thrills or anxiety. It ought to affect
their tactics and strategies. Why the wonder works this way,
how they use it because of the range, and the way it affects the
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character can all be leveraged for backstory material and
roleplaying bits.
WEAKNESSES
Most wonders have limitations. There may also be
conditions under which the character cannot use the wonder,
rendering them powerless. This can be stressful. Is the nature
of the weakness tied to the wonder, or does it stem from
elements of the character’s physiology or psychology
dimensions? This can be a fairly important part of a wonder,
and lead to obvious adventure hooks as well as worldbuilding
to explain and justify it.
Wonders as Aptitudes
In some settings, wonders function as aptitudes. They are
innate abilities that the character possesses, rather than
something they learned how to do. Most superheroes fall into
this category, whether they’re mutants, strange visitors from
another planet, or had an accident involving radiation. These
things tend to make the character unique, or at least rare. Not
everyone can just acquire their wonder with a modicum of
effort, after all. This should affect the character’s self-image,
and can do so in both helpful and harmful ways.
The way that others will react to a character that’s
different, especially one wielding potentially dangerous
wonders, will vary based on cultural, religious, and political
factors. In other words, not only should the origin of the
wonder be part of the worldbuilding, how the character is able
to face the world needs to be as well.
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Wonders as Experiences
Many wonders are things that can be learned. Spells in
Dungeons & Dragons come to mind. Sometimes everyone is
able to access these things, but often this knowledge is
restricted to an elite few. The worldbuilding around this ought
to connect directly to the character’s backstory. Are they part
of a special group? How were they selected? What was the
process for learning to wield these wonders?
This can lead to a mixed bag of perceptions and
relationships based on wonders as experiences. There are
those who, like the character, are on the inside. They also have
the power, know how it’s acquired, and what it takes to train
and develop in it. Those people may or may not agree with the
way the information is disbursed. Then they are those on the
outside, who may feel cheated, or are treated as second-class
because they cannot learn the secrets of the wonders. There’s
a lot to work with here.
Wonders Mixing Aptitudes and Experiences

Many game systems and settings use a more balanced
approach. The character might have an ability, or at least the
potential to have a wonder, but they need to learn how to use
it. This might also be a situation where they need to learn how
to control it, in order to be able to wield the wonder safely.
This seems to have the most raw backstory potential. You
get the benefits of the character being different, with the
difficulties of training and education. There are more
opportunities for drama and conflict. The worldbuilding
possibilities increase. How the character feels about
themselves, and how others on both the inside and the outside
feel about them, becomes much more complicated.
91
92

Building Characters 2e

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Building Characters 2e

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hippogryph presents

Dancing Lights Press

Using This Book

Characters and Worldbuilding

Characters and Adventures

Characters and Rules

Player Character Roles

Non-Player Character Roles

THE VOICE OF EMOTION

THE VOICE OF REASON

Using Stages of Life

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

SEX AND GENDER

STAGE OF LIFE NEEDS

Using Aptitude Elements

Aptitudes and Stages of Life

Using Experience Elements

Breadth and Depth

Experiences and Stages of Life

Using Resource Elements

How Wonders Work

Wonders Mixing Aptitudes and Experiences

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