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A Different Guide to Creating a Character Profile

  • March 9, 2016

    Meticulous minds and deft hands cultivate the characters we love

    Building a Character from the Ground Up 
    The younger sibling of Borommakot's original thread, A Guide to Creating a Character Profile

    Backstory
    The events leading up to the present character

    • Lore
    • Motivations
    • Note that your character's story can begin at the start of any of the ES games - an epic backstory isn't required; this is simply to understand the character's history which directly affects their motivations and attributes

    Unique Attributes
    Describe the things that make your character unique and tell the story behind them

    • Appearance (e.g., pragmatic dresser, fashionista, or dressed to blend in)
    • Thoughts, Feelings, & Behaviors (e.g., devote a character completely to one thing or create internal struggles with conflicting TF&B)
    • Habits & Quirks (e.g., carrying a special item, rituals performed for religious or personal reasons, addiction)
    • Flaws (Flaws should provide a challenge to overcome, e.g., a short-tempered character thrust into a situation that demands diplomacy)

    Presentation
    Pictures to help establish the motif of your character

    • A picture is worth 1000 words - if you can tell a story through the use of pictures, do so; captions will help improve this story-telling (e.g., your character's quotes, a passage that describes your character and his/her environment/situation, your character's favorite quote, etc.)
    • If you keep a journal for your character, consider transcribing it into a TES-style book and typeface
    • Pictures should be included regardless, to enhance presentation and break up text 

    In-Game Role-play

    • If you've played this character, describe the ways that you role-played in a way that anyone can replicate it.

    Crafting Role-play for Character Builds 

    If you have a character build and would like to introduce role-play, try following these tips:

    • Research the lore behind your skills
      • What are the prevailing opinions surrounding your skills?
      • Are any noteworthy people, guilds, or famous for using those skills? Can your character be connected in some way?
      • Consider the Nine Alignments – which does your character seem to fit into according to his/her skills?
        • Don't be afraid to break norms and do the unexpected by putting races and archetypes in nontraditional roles. Find out what’s typical, but don't feel bound to always follow those conventions. Once you have a disposition, begin working out justifications for quests.
        • Why is your character doing these quests? What is gained? Is it fulfilling a purpose beyond a simple quest reward?
        • Once you have these, start at the top of this guide and work your way back down

     Role-play Profiles for Blogs

    Character Summary
    A spoiler-free alternative to Backstory

    • Think of this like the inside cover of a book - something to capture the readers' interest and convince them to begin reading. This kind of profile will prove useful for writers who haven’t finished their stories but are looking to expand the breadth of their story to other forms of content.

     

     

    If you have any additional tips, please comment and I will edit your ideas in with full credit

  • Member
    March 9, 2016

    cool, I was thinking on making a RP again New version of Mathias Wulfe and his friends

  • March 9, 2016

    Dude, go for it! New profiles for a whole cast of characters? I say absolutely. 

  • Member
    March 9, 2016

    I have been updating their files in creation Kit, since I am their creator.

  • Member
    March 10, 2016

    A very comprehensive look, and I like the new additions. All good things to consider. I'll be sure to revisit this for my next profile. 

  • March 10, 2016

    Damn, Legion! Now this is really cool revamp. Lot of interesting stuff here, I like the changes. 

    Good job, mate. 

  • Member
    March 10, 2016

    Looking good. Better quality profiles are definately a priority for sprucing this place up a bit, and this will help tremendously.

  • March 12, 2016

    This here has intrigued me. I should probably cut down on some of the less important aspects of my RP Character Sheets from now on.

  • Member
    March 13, 2016

    Awesome!, nice guide 

  • Member
    March 13, 2016

    When writing a profile what is the motivation someone should keep in mind? I have always struggled with trying to make one and normally give up. I would like to have another crack at it but it is difficult for me.