Character Questions

Here is a checklist to get you started on your character history.

• Full name
• Birth date, astrology sign
• Sense of humor -- dry, weird, earthy
• Birth order
• Parents and parent's occupations
• Major childhood influences, traumas, events, emotional wounds
• Talents
• Flaws, vulnerabilities
• Strengths
• Political affiliation
• Religious affiliation
• Income level
• Attitudes, personality type: introvert or extrovert, optimist or pessimist
• Primary relationships, marital status and capacity for intimacy
• Family background
• Occupation
• Education
• Ambitions, unfulfilled ambitions, obsessions, plans
• Taste in clothes
• Food preferences
• Health habits
• Recreation activities, vacation
• Hobbies
• Pets
• Taste in books, movies and music
• Favorite possessions
• Hangouts
• Mannerisms, pet expressions, gestures
• Worst physical trait
• Best physical trait
• Chief goal in story, secondary goals
• Reason he or she is motivated
• Enemies
• Reactions under stress


Character Background Questionnaire

The following text is a list of questions for new/old PC characters in AD&D.  It was originally created for SW:RPG, and was converted to Vampire: The Masquerade, which I got and have now converted into AD&D.  I have no idea how much this is like/unlike the original version.  Feel free to adapt this to your personal needs/ other RPGs.

I understand that this is a VERY long list of questions.  For this reason, feel free to compensate your players time with one of the following(or something of your own devise): 1 character point for completeing all but 2 or 3 questions and 2 cps for completing the whole thing or bonus 1/3 initial gold for completing questions or +1 to one saving throw for near completion, +1 to two saving throws for full completion or character receives no experience points until all questions are completed, receives total exp owing when last question is finished (I can only imagine a truly evil DM would use the last one :)

Here are the questions:

1.    Full Name:
2.    Any and all aliases used:
3.    Age:       
4.    Birthplace (include city, country and world):
5.    Parents' names:
6.    Education level:
7.    Any degrees held (and where):
8.    Physical traits:
9.    Personality traits:
10.    Social traits:
11.    Relationship to other PCs:
12.    Lifestyle description:
13.    Short term goals:
14.    Long term goals:
15.    Companions' goals:
16.    Hopes and fears:
17.    What drives me:
18.    Religion:
19.    What conflicts may arise because of my past:
20.    Jobs, positions and/or titles held in the past:
21.    Do I have a criminal record or bounty on my head:
22.    Where do I call home:
23.    Where have I spent most of my life:
24.    What notable places have I visited:
25.    Do I have any dependants:
26.    Am I now, or have I been, romantically involved with anyone (and who):
27.    What are my hobbies:
28.    What awards and/or honors have I received:
29.    What are a few of my favourite things:
30.    How do I see myself:
31.    How do others see me:
32.    Height:
33.    Weight:
34.    Hair/eyes:
35.    Three contacts:
36.    Three enemies:
37.    Three friends:
38.    What modern day actor would play my character if our campaign was a movie:
39.    Any notes: