Forums » RP Discussion » How do you guys get ideas for your characters?

Basically the title sums it up. Like how do you get ideas for personality, backgrounds, and just other basic things? What's your inspiration?

It is varied. Usually it all comes out of my head as a jumble and I work it out. A couple of mine are tribute characters to a couple people I knew who died, but the others are just some odd brainstorming I did that developed in RPs. Most of my characters are direct spin offs from other . Usually NPCs that caught my interest and I develop them. That goes for my Tolkien and non-Tolkien characters. I guess my 'original' character Halasian took the most effort. I just made up some random ranger in an rp to get started and added to his history as I played him. He in turn led to Forcwyn his wife, and Hanasian and Halcwyn their children, and Hanasian is my most developed character of al of mine, and there have been various characters developed connected to him, and on and on...

Sometimes I have a concept as a base and I create a character around the concept. Darrell I created from an NPC in a high school 1x1 RP, and though that RP has long since finished, Darrell is quite involved in his own now.

So I get ideas in various ways. I do have some troubles filling out backgrounds on the fly when creating characters here, but usually go back and edit the pages into something decent. Not sure I answered your question, as I seem to be all over with this... But then, I'm all over the place when building my charaters too...

No, thank you very much! This is helpful! I kind of do the same thing, but I just literally can't figure out my motivation to create some more characters. I also have trouble with the backgrounds, though, so...that's going to be a whole other story.

I come up with some traits, then build around them, much like concepts Dune described. Usually I imagine a name first, then a design. If it's a character in a game that involves stats, I may build my character around what rolls I got, then move on to the name and design.

As for backgrounds, I'm usually working in a speculative fiction environment, so I figure out how the family structure works, and how the economic system works. The things people do for their families and to support their own lives can lead to interesting situations. Ask why a character cuts his hair a certain way (etc). Have an "interview" with them impromptu style, or throw them into a situation to decide what they would do.

I look as a character I would like to roleplay. Then I come up with their parents their upbringing and history. Then I edit emblessish til I'm happy with them.

Usually, mine come from random ideas..like take a fire, what would it be like as a character? Sometimes, I make up a character on the spot just to keep the story going (that's where Jason came from. He used to be a brat, though ). Most of the time, I accidentally make the characters like..mixed versions of random characters. For instance, Jason is a mix of Adrien from Miraculous Ladybug (I made him around the time I was obsessed with that show), Zuko from The Last Airbender, Lars from Steven Universe, and I think that's it..but there might be more.
But really, my characters always come from random processes. There's never really any logical thinking in it until I finish their personality.

Thank you all!

Yes what all those before me typed is true. How to make a character is mostly about what you think. They can be made on the fly or in detail. Their is no wrong way to make them, Its all up to you!! As for the back round that depend on the character. You can fill in the details as you go threw their story. All that matter is that, Are YOU having fun and Do YOU like the person. That is the most important thing.

For me it varies. A lot of characters take inspiration form some other media, or a person I know IRL, or from random experimentation. It's also not uncommon for a character of mine to be inspired directly from a Trope on TVTropes, whether that be trying to subvert said trope or playing it straight.

Personally, I always make up a character first. I sketch the kind of person I want, even if I don't know their personality. Then I figure out what kind of things to associate with the styles and colours I use.

For example, Sarah Xy'ale. I wanted her to have big purple eyes with round glasses. Purple is often associated with loss or mourning, and royalty. Therefore I made her the "princess" of her people, and she lost her mother as a child. She's very pale, which I associate with elegance and innocence. So she has a very elegant walk, while she is almost like a child with her personality

I think most of mine originally came about because I needed to fill a specific role for a story, rather than simply being created in a vacuum.

But if I'm actively looking for inspiration, a mix of browsing pinterest and this gurps NPC generator have both been useful in the past.


(Just leave it on 'Random Random' and hit that generate button a few times! The numbers themselves are not that important, imho. But the 'Advantages' & 'Disadvantages' sections are nice, as well as the short tag line and quick physical description.)

I get a lot of inspiration from my life and interests. I came up with the E-Flat Knight because someone commented on my ability to play bari sax and alto sax, sayimg I was "an e-flat knight" and then I realized that I could totally use a bari sax as a great sword if I wanted to.

Most of my characters come from a part of me honestly. Or some facet of my personality cranked up and altered. Add in a mix of other pop culture and stuff i like and thats how i find mine.

Though more recently its just been hit a randomizer and if i like the concept go from their.

That is an interesting thing to think about!

I usually think about their story, and what I want them to be. I’ve had weak characters, I’ve had aggressive characters, and so on.

Then I give them a name and story. If I don’t remember them, they are not important...

Then I get a face to go with it. This can take a while...

And then, I have a complete character!

They come to me as a development. I usually create a husk of someone, then build them up slowly.

Importantly, it's good to have a character consistent, but static. A trait they have, a habit they form or any quirk they develop should be fluid

The story, characters and world should mold them into someone "believable"

Honestly the best thing for me is when i have someone to build them with. Having two characters built alongside each other really expands your possibilities, but even just talking out loud or writing what ideas you have to another person can really help get the creative ball rolling.

Consuming virtually any media, but especially music. I’m inspired by characters from shows and the like too!