New Character Questions

20+ Questions (by Ron)

This is a list of questions that can be valuable to RPG game masters. It's loosely based on some questions in Shadowrun, plus some questions I found online.

Name

• What's the player's name?
• What was the character's birth name?
• What name does the character use now?
• Did the character choose his name, or was it a nickname or joke?

Description

• What is the character's gender? (male/female)
• What is the character's physical size and description? (i.e. skinny, short, average, etc.)
• What is the color of the character's...
  • Hair?
  • Skin?
  • Eyes?
• How is the hair worn?
• Does the character need glasses?
• What is the character's Ethnic Origins? (game-dependent, obviously)
• What is the character's general appearance?
• What is the first thing people notice about the character?
• Where was the character born?
• What is the character's age?

Family

• Did the character even know his/her birth family?
  • (if not, answer these about the surrogate family)
• What was the character's family?
• Who were the character's parents?
• What did the character's parents do?
• What were their means of support?
• Were the parents married, separated, divorced, widowed, other (explain)?
• What was family life like?
• What was the family's disposition? (street, squatter, Low, Middle, High, Luxury)
• Does the character have any siblings?
  • Where are they now?
  • What do they do?
  • Does the character keep in contact with them?
• Is (or was) the character single, married, divorced, widowed, other (explain)?
• Does the character have any children?
  • Name(s)?
  • Descriptions?
  • Current statuses?

Education

• Where or how was the character educated?
• Where did the character learn their skills?
• Did the character continue into higher education?
  • If yes, where?
• Was schooling public, private, trade, tutored, homeschooled?
• Has the character ever done anything else for a living?
  • Did the character enjoy it?
  • Why did the character stop doing it?
  • Would the character go back?

Political and religious beliefs

• Does the character have any defined political beliefs?
  • What are they?
• Is the character religious?
  • What is the character's beliefs?
• Was the character's family religious?
  • Are they still?
  • If they are (or were) which religion(s) did they follow?
• Has the character changed religions?
  • Why?

Moral Code

• Will the character kill a human(oid)?
• When did the character decide that he could?
• Does the character think that killing human(oid)s is acceptable?
• Under what circumstances would the character kill a human(oid)?
• Does the character have any opinions on moral issues such as capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia?
  • What are they?
• Does the character adhere to a personal sexual code?

Personality

• What special qualities does the character possess?
  • Does the character get along well with people?
  • Is the character skilled at taking care of business?
  • Prioritizing tasks?
  • Planning ahead?
• Are there things that the character just cannot do?
  • Get close to people?
  • Perceive himself realistically?
  • Work well with others?
  • Think clearly under stress?
  • Handle money well?)
• What does the character hate?
  • Certain people?
  • Religion?
  • Other adventurers?
  • Orks?
  • Politicians?
  • Society in general?
  • Obscene amounts of personal questions?
• What does the character love?
  • The seashore?
  • The view from tall buildings?
  • Quiet times?
  • Loud music?
  • Art?
  • Taking care of business?
  • A specific person?
  • A certain place?

Miscellaneous

• Is adventuring all the character ever wants to do?
• Does the character have any ambitions beyond the here and now?
  • If yes, what?
  • If not, why not?
• How did the character become an adventurer?
• Does the character do it for the thrill? Money? To make a statement? As part of a plan? To piss people off?
• Would any event or circumstances make the character stop adventuring?