When you get a group of adventurers gathered round the table for a new pen and paper escapade, it pays to establish some details about their characters' history and defining features. However, it is very easy to make the mistake of under-preparing or over-preparing when producing this information, which can result in some problems later in your campaign. That's why today I'd like to share my best advice for devising concise, useful notes that describe a PCs background and defining characteristics.
First off: I strongly recommend that all players are given an opportunity to prepare these notes before the game begins. Take a little time at the first session to walk the players through a few questions about their characters. These questions pertain to the basics of their new character's identity. You may ask two or three, something along the lines of:
What was your character's childhood like? Why did they choose their current career? What motivates them to adventure with this group?
If they simply answer these questions with a single statement, that's enough to get them started. If they are inexperienced, or short on ideas, they could draw inspiration from their favorite character from books, movies, or television. And if you want to make things even easier to coordinate, you might even invite the players to gather and create their characters cooperatively, in a sort of prologue session before the game begins. That way the players can familiarize themselves with each other's backgrounds and integrate their storylines and roles in the party.
This brings me to my next point... keep the backstory light. I highly discourage players bringing extensive notes on their character's history and personal details. There is rarely enough time for every player to read pages of exposition, and it puts the group in the uncomfortable position of becoming an audience for your own narrative, or setting aside your detailed synopsis with a "Too long, didn't read."
One or two paragraphs, tops. That's all that is needed to establish the basics of a character. The rest is far more interesting when presented through role play in the campaign itself. Encourage the players to follow the old creative writing standby of "show, don't tell." Instead of learning that the wizard started out a pauper from exposition, give her the opportunity to reveal more when she meets an urchin in need. Instead of hearing about the death of the gunslinger's parents in a tedious monologue, see what happens when he finds out their killer has been seen in a nearby township. Let the party learn more and more about each other organically as the campaign progresses.
Speaking of which, there is another trick that will help all of this go smoothly... leave lots of blanks to fill in later. There will be so many opportunities to add details to a character's backstory during the campaign, so don't waste your chance by telling their whole story right away. Especially when they can find ways to tie their story in with the other characters and the setting itself. They might ask for their character to be in the same thieves' guild as another player, or a former student of a prestigous military academy that their team is now visiting. Better to leave some options open than to remove the possibility of adding these elements at a later point.
You want the characters to think about their characters' backgrounds enough that they have a starting point for playing out their motivations and behaviors. But you also want the flexibility for them to develop a backstory over time, the ability to collaborate with the group, and to convey their character concept clearly and concisely. If you follow these basic guidelines, your players should have a head start when it comes to understanding their new character. Keep it light, keep it simple, and keep it fun!
Happy ventures!
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