Do you create a new character for every campaign, or do you replay with a cast of favorites? #TTRPG #DnD
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) April 29, 2020
Seeing folks like @ToddKenreck or @JoeManganiello use the same character in a dozen different campaigns has been a big shock! It’s really cool, but not at all what I’m used to. It’s fantasy… can’t a character move from plane to plane, adventure to adventure, through time, etc. The game to me is just a series of episodic adventures. Do you get shocked when Thor shows up in a Guardians of the Galaxy movie? Or Iron Man in a Captain America movie?
— JOE MANGANIELLO (@JoeManganiello) April 29, 2020
Who are Avren and Arkhan in the MCU?
— Todd Kenreck (@ToddKenreck) April 30, 2020
Arkhan got the hand at level 17. When did I play him at a lower level with it? Do I play high level one offs with him post hand? Of course. Luke Gygax plays his character he created with his Dad who had an action figure in the 80s. I think that’s awesome & exactly what D&D needs D&D doesn’t have many “legendary” heroes because YOU are the hero. The fact that Todd and I were tagged by James means that people know. I think that’s rad. I played as Arkhan for years and now I dust him off and play him every once in a while. Same as Luke and Melf
— JOE MANGANIELLO (@JoeManganiello) April 30, 2020
One of the great experiences in RPGs is allowing the story to shape your character. If you bring in a fully formed character with a complex backstory, you miss out on that. And what’s worse, that character might not mesh well with the others in the party, so you either change your character to make it more compatible with the rest of the party, or you become disruptive. When I start a campaign, everybody gets together and create fresh new characters that grow together as they adventure together. Instead of starting with a 3 page backstory, they start with loose common motivations and the players will define their individual motivations as game progresses, all within the story. They also discover their respective backstories during play, you learn things about your character’s past as it makes sense in the story, no long unprompted monologues about a tragic childhood in the middle of a tavern. Of course, if your character is a pile of stats, none of this matters; you can plug that anywhere and it’s fine. If you’re playing for an audience, then you’re doing something else entirely, your audience have favourites and want to see them interacting. When you’re playing with your friends, it’s more fun to discover your character during play.