"What's My Motivation?"
Any tabletop RPG is, by its very nature, a story with an ensemble cast. After all, it would be unfair to show favoritism to any one player or treat them as the sole protagonist of the campaign. That's why the most clear and classic problem player is the one who demands special treatment or ignores the feelings and contributions of their fellow players. In many cases, this is not because of a conscious effort on the part of the player, but simply due to some misconceptions about character design and the player dynamics of the game. There are a number of ways to avoid these issues, the first of which is to make sure your players have active and inclusive motivations established for each of their characters.
It's the classic actor's question, "What's my motivation?" and it is just as important to narrative RPGs as in any other work of fiction. Motives help define a character's association with both the campaign setting and their fellow PCs. A character's motivation can be any number of things, but first and foremost it should be compatible with the party's overarching purpose. In other words, a thief trying to win the big score should not be tagging along with a group of paladins seeking to bring law and order back to the land On the other hand, thief might be welcome if she is just looking for her long-lost brother. It's all about choosing a purpose that can align with the goals of the party.
Aligning with the campaign setting is important as well. If your story is set in a dystopian version of the United States, you don't want your backstory to be tied exclusively to events in on the opposite hemisphere. Keep your goals relevant to the present adventure.
Some new players might like the idea of playing a sort of double agent within the party or a character with a secret affiliation that runs contrary to the group. But if they do this without making arrangements with the other players, they are courting disaster. When the party inevitably finds out about any deception, it will create a rift that can cause frustration or (worst case) end an entire campaign. It's true that a character's motivations can be very personal to them, and need not be shared aloud by your character. But there is no reason to trick your fellow players. In fact, there is very little to be gained from such a deception, and a lot to lose. Instead, you can create unique motivations that might bring about friendships and rivalries with your party mates without running contrary to their own goals.
Alternately, if the other players actually like conspiracies and more tension among the party, there is a better way to handle it: You could establish your character as having a secret, but inform the players out of character of what you have planned. Then, with the agreement not to meta-game with this information, the players can all be prepared to address the scenario when the truth comes out in-game. Don't ever do this with the intention of actively working against your team mates, causing them problems, or actually impeding their progress. If you don't want to play as part of the team then you just might not be playing the right kind of game.
Don't be shy about inter-connecting your character's goals with other members of your group. In fact, tying your character's goals in with other players is a great way to stimulate some fun, in-depth role playing scenarios. Rather than developing a game in which each character exists in their own storyline, give them shared histories or mutual interests. it is better to collaborate with others to create interwoven origins and destinies than to make them all run perpendicular to each other.
Keeping Active!
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| Arrow's Oliver Queen seeks to right the wrongs of his father's evil |
What drives well-designed characters are active motives. Motivations that involve taking decisive action. A burglar's motive should never simply be "Don't get arrested," because that motive won't drive him to action unless someone specifically moves against him. A solid motivation is one that demands action on the subject's part. "Travel the world and leave my past behind," would be better, as it pushes the character to set out toward new frontiers and adventures. Keep this in mind with any motivation. If you had nothing else to go on, would these goals drive you to take some specific action? Would you travel to a dungeon or search a town or rally an army? If you can't think of anything that your character's purpose would drive them to doing, a more active rewrite is in order.
And remember that terms like True Neutral represent a certain morally capricious nature, but they don't mean that the character is apathetic or emotionally detached. A neutral character can be just as passionate about their goals as anyone else, they are simply motivated more by self interest and their personal interpretation of morality than the greater good. While a neutral character will try not to cause trouble or hurt anyone, they should still have a sense of purpose and an impulse to carry it out. An explorer trying to discover the secrets of a lost civilization may be of a neutral alignment, but he will fight and compete and strive to complete his aim.
Good motivations shouldn't be too general or generic. A thirst for money, for instance, is a very weak definition for a character motivation. Money itself does not have any value unless you spend it. So in the end, there must be some end goal that the character intends to achieve with this fortune. Building a palace? Ruling a far away land? Feeding the poor? These are goals that are much more clear and evocative for a character. It will provide story hooks for the DM, and give everyone a better sense of who this character is.
Just as you want to avoid the overly generic, you should also avoid the overly specific. If your sole motivation is to take revenge on a single person, you are not going to get very many chances to act on that motive. Instead, make it about avenging yourself against the entire evil empire. Broaden your sense of purpose out to something that can be acted upon often. Let it be the core of your adventuring career.
There is also no reason to limit any character to a singular motivation. Complex, fleshed-out characters may have any number of influences upon their actions, and needn't be restricted in such a way. A character can seek revenge on the one who wronged them while at the same time trying to find true love. In fact, having more than one purpose can help you to continue your story in case one of your personal goals is no longer relevant. When one story ends, another begins, so be ready to adapt your motivations if one storyline is resolved or your character faces a life-changing moment.
If you have writer's block when devising a character, try adapting a suitable protagonist from a favorite work of fiction. Bring Robin Hood or Luke Skywalker into your next game! Or maybe even ask the DM or a fellow player for advice. Don't be afraid to glean inspiration from wherever you can, and you just might end up with a character who you want to take on adventures again and again!
Happy ventures!
A few sample Motivations:
- Protecting a fellow party member
- Taking revenge against an enemy
- Finding a new home
- Finding true love
- Making a momentous discovery
- Becoming world famous
- Having a memorable adventure
- Honoring your ancestors
- Finding the most glorious battle
- Spreading a cause
- Helping the poor
- Seizing power
- And more!
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