We provide your one-stop list for character flaws, as well as a fun exercise to create dynamic characters!
Creating a character is a difficult task. There are several things to consider from what do they look like, how do they sound, how do they act, and what makes them who they are? All of these things and more should be focused on when building a character. But you should also focus on their weakness or flaws.
These types of traits can be anything from fear, a vice, or failing. They could also be something another character can use against them or hold over their head. It may even be another person. Someone they are afraid to speak with or even see. Whatever it is, characters with weaknesses are more engaging to readers as they are more realistic.
Character Building Exercise: Choose five numbers randomly, or use one of those random number generation tools online. Or roll a d100 five times! Write down those five traits and create a character out of them. Decide how this personality happened. What in the character’s past caused these traits to form? How do they use them? Do they fully understand them? If there are contradicting ones, what caused this internal battle?
A creative guide to help TTRPG players who find themselves roleplaying more than one character in a campaign.
While it is expected for a Game Master to juggle multiple characters and creatures simultaneously, it is not the same for players. However, being a GM and playing a player character is not as difficult as it sounds. For those playing singe-player campaigns, having a fuller party makes much more sense.
But are there any drawbacks? After all, if you are the type of player that likes to delve deep into your character and fully bring them to the table, you might be concerned about having difficultly. You might worry you can’t juggle two, or even more characters at the same time.
That’s where this guide steps in! Coming from a player who has spent years playing three characters at the same time, I’ll give a breakdown of how this can be easy, fun, and rewarding!
Choose Your “Protagonist”
This may sound harsh to your other characters, but choosing a main character for your campaign is really beneficial. This will be the character that you default to, that drives scenes, and that spends the most time talking. Collaborate with your GM regarding the campaign’s conflict, as it will help a lot if the overarching conflict is tied to this character.
Tips for choosing: make sure it is a character class you enjoy playing. You should feel really passionately about this character and more intrigued by them than the others you roleplay.
Whose Scene is it, Anyway?
While you are playing the game, determine which character benefits the most from a certain “scene”. If you are navigating a forest, perhaps it is time for your Druid to shine! If you are negotiating with dangerous people, perhaps your extraverted character with the highest Charisma score will lead. If you are back in your Ranger’s town, then they will guide the party around. Think about who makes the most impact in a certain situation, and focus on them.
Have 1:1 Moments
To ensure all your characters have time to develop, make sure they get one-on-one moments. Either with other characters or NPC’s. Having time to voice their own thoughts without overlapping roleplay is great to ensure they get their time to shine.
Collaborate with Your GM
When you are in a single player campaign, player-GM communication is key. Make it clear what each of your characters want, and what they will pursue in the coming games. This helps tell the tale of all of your characters, instead of all but one being silent.
Learn to Narrate More
Playing multiple characters at once requires some narration. This not only helps tell your characters apart, but it also helps set the scene for what each of them are doing. I’ll pull an example from our most recent game. The party just got some critical information and were taking time to digest it.
I said, “Jade has a heavy frown on her face, and it’s clear she is thinking deeply. Taliesin is curled up on himself in a bit of an emotionally fetal position. Sen doesn’t really understand the weight and has gone to get another drink.”
Through this, I was able to convey three different reactions and emotional states without having to overlap dialogue or get the characters confused.
Quick Reference List
Choose a main character to lead interactions.
Allow different characters to have the spotlight depending on the situation.
Give a single character private conversations with others.
Communicate with your DM on each of your character’s motivations.
Narrate scenes to avoid too much character overlap.
We look to series like Dragon Age and Pirates of the Caribbean see how adding a third neutral party can help you tell more engaging stories
It’s typical storytelling to follow the protagonist versus the antagonist. But what if there was a third party introduced to the mix? One that got in the way of both others. One with their own agenda. How would that change a story? We’ll use Dragon Age and Pirates of the Caribbean as examples of how you can use a third party to develop your story.
Story Example
The next Dragon Age game may be a ways off but the stories and characters of Thedas span more than just video games. There are several novels and comic books you can sink into until the fourth game’s release. The most recent comic being Dragon Age: Dark Fortress.
SPOILER WARNING: Content may spoil events from the games. You have been warned. We will avoid major spoilers.
Dark Fortress follows fan-favorite character Fenris as he hunts down the son of his former master Danarius. Throughout the three-issue run, we learn that Tevinter mages are creating another powerful warrior like Fenris. It’s something the Qunari aren’t huge fans of either so they show up to put an end to it. Fenris teams up with characters from previous comics and they work together to track down the mages.
Towards the end of the run, events collide and the three groups end up facing off against one another. It’s a story that is familiar to the Dragon Age series and plays out many times throughout. Yet it never feels overused: Quanri vs
Things are going rather well for the protagonist when all of the sudden, the Qunari arrive and they have to rethink their strategy.
How You Can Adapt it
It’s an example that can be used in any TTRPG or novel for that matter. It is a great way to increase tension and build lore in your world as well. Your characters may think they are the only ones hunting down a specific enemy, item, or person but what if they weren’t? Perhaps a third party shows up at inconvenient moments to get in their way. Plots like this are a great way to develop your story and add suspense and action to the mix.
Just when the characters think they’ve got the upper hand, the third party comes in and trips them up. This third group can be evil, good, or neutral. Their motivations can vary from stopping the other two parties, stopping one party, or just adding a little chaos.
Take the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie for example. On Stranger Tides follows Spanish and English soldiers as they search for the Fountain of Youth. The third party consists of Jack Sparrow and the crew of the Queen Anne’s Revenge. The climax sees English troops fighting the pirates over control of the fountain before Spanish soldiers arrive and destroy it. After their task is done, they just walk away without fighting anyone.
Introducing a third party to the story can change the flow of the narrative. It’s interesting, adds detail to your world, and gives your payers a reason to think of new ways to handle situations. Although, don’t overdo it.
So, give it a shot the next time your characters are after the BBEG or magical artifact. You never know how it will change your story and keep everyone on their toes.
A land torn asunder by war, famine, and corruption. Through many years of hardship, the people step from their homes to discover a new life. The once mysterious Blood Mist slowly evaporates from the earth, and demons linger throughout the mountains. This is the world of the Forbidden Lands.
A dwarf minstrel, elf fighter, goblin sorcerer, and human peddler approach a small quaint village by the river. A guard gazes lazily at them as they pass by the fortified wooden gate. These aren’t typical adventurers, they are rogues and raiders trying to make a living in a dangerous world.
Forbidden Lands is a tabletop role-playing game from Free League Publishing. It’s a twist on other popular RPG titles where the players aren’t necessarily the heroes of the campaign, but instead are simply trying to survive any way they can.
The mythos and lore of Forbidden Lands is well thought out and detailed. The gods brought their people to a new land and discovered it wasn’t as peaceful as they had hoped. Wars erupted and fighting spread throughout the world. Then a terrible mist appeared and killed everything it touched. Eventually, the mist vanished but the world was changed and portions of it still linger throughout waiting to be discovered by would-be adventures hoping to become a legend.
Legends
Speaking of legends, Legends are how the players learn about the world and its people. They are also a way for them to gain experience. Instead of a player not knowing who an NPC is, the game masters might have the characters hear about a legend from NPCs, maps, or notes they find during their adventure. Or before they encounter an area of the person, they roll a die to find out what they know.
Stronghold
Another aspect of Forbidden Lands is the Stronghold. Over time the characters will have made a name for themselves and if they live long enough, they will gain access to their own stronghold. The Forbidden Lands are dangerous and full of deadly creatures, and the characters will need a place to rest. Strongholds are a home base for characters to regroup and restock after returning from an adventure.
However, they are not always safe. The rules contain several random encounters to use when the characters are resting inside their stronghold. Peace is hard to come by in this world and that’s what makes it exciting.
Cultures and Kin
Forbidden Lands contains many cultures called Kin. They range from Human, Elf, Half-Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Orc, Wolfkin, Goblin. Each one can then choose a profession or class ranging from Druid, Fighter, Hunter, Minstrel, Peddler, Rider, Rogue, or Sorcerer.
There are also skills and abilities based on Attributes. Your character’s physical and mental capabilities are measured in attributes. They are broken down into four categories: Strength, Agility, Wits, and Empathy.
Player Characters
Dark Secret. Akin to Dungeons & Dragons Flaws are Dark Secrets. A Dark Secret is something you did in the past that you don’t want anyone else to know about. It is one of the most valuable resources the game master can pull from when deciding future plot points for your character.
Consumables. In Forbidden Lands, keeping track of consumable items such as food, water, and arrows is an important aspect of exploring. These are tracked by a d6, d8, and d12. Once eating a ration or loosing an arrow, you roll the specific dice and if a 1 or 2 appears you lower the dice to the lower amount – d12 to d10 and so on. After rolling a 1 or 2 on a d6, you run out of whatever it is you used and have to buy more.
It’s actually an engaging way to keep track of your items. Instead of worrying about how many arrows or bolts you have in a given day, you just roll the dice to decide.
Reputation. Being recognized in the Forbidden Lands is something to keep track of as well. Whether you successfully looted an ancient crypt or angered the village leader, your name could get out and reach the ears of powerful people.
This mechanic works by having the player with the highest reputation roll a d6 when they reach a town or interact with an NPC. A 6 means you have made a name for yourself and that person or town knows you, however, if it’s good or bad is up to the deeds you have done. This also works in reverse and the players can roll d6 to determine if they’ve heard of an NPC.
It Takes a d6
Instead of relying on a d20 like D&D, Forbidden Lands can be played entirely with a d6. Weapons and gear have attributes of their own you add or subtract from skills and attacks. You roll to attack and for skills but the damage is calculated by characters four Attributes. You can also go one step further and push any roll for added success or failure.
If you fail a roll and choose to push it you add dice according to certain skills and abilities and roll again. But failing could result in an even worse result than the original roll. While success means you achieve an even cooler result and perhaps do more damage.
Verdict
Forbidden Lands is one of the most innovative and engaging TTRPGs around. It’s fast-paced and full of history. Exploring feels rewarding and interacting with NPCs and adventure sites is intriguing and exciting. The whole thing can even be played at random without any planning so both the game master and players aren’t aware of what’s going to happen. Forbidden Lands is built for storytellers and fantasy lovers who enjoy diving into the unknown and uncovering new mysteries.
Forbidden Lands is recommended for fantasy fans! It is thrilling, detailed, and full of wonderful and dreadful encounters We give it a 9 on a d10.
Clicking the image will take you to the product on Amazon
We received a free copy of Forbidden Lands in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are our own.
We take a look at tabletop role-playing games that would great make video games
Symbaroum
Symbaroum from Free League Publishing is a dark fantasy setting full of intrigue and mystery. The land is dangerous and full of undead, creatures, loot, and adventure. The main area players explore is the forest of Davokar. It’s mainly uncharted and is a great area full of potential quests. One aspect of Symbaroum is based around exploring and characters must purchase a license to venture into the forest.
The video game could be either an RPG or a real-time strategy game. The RPG would be similar to Baldur’s Gate and Solasta where you take a party of four to six and explore the forest. The main quest may involve searching for a forgotten city, finding a missing warrior who ventured out before you and, or destroying an artifact that is bringing destruction to the land.
While the RTS could work by having you take control of the adventuring guild and hiring adventures to go into the forest. All while you construct a town and keep up its resources.
Forbidden Lands
Forbidden Lands, also from Free League, is more similar to Pathfinder. While there is a Pathfinder video game, we feel Forbidden Lands would make a far better one. Its world is rich and detailed with history. The gods fled their previous land and ventured into a new one, hence the name. The new region saw war and greed and is covered in a terrible mist called the Blood Mist.
The mist corrupts and kills anyone who steps foot in it, spawns monsters, and is even alive if some believe the rumors. There are several factions and established characters within the world that can make random appearances from time to time to surprise the party. Like the Rust Brothers or a walking set of armor possessed by the soul of a forgotten warrior.
A video game would be fantastic and we could see it being a hack-and-slash like The Legend of Zelda: Age of Calamity. But it would be perfect as a turn-based RPG, too.
We take a look at Rat Queens Volume 1 and how it relates to D&D
Rat Queens is a dark satire comic book series that plays out like a typical TTRPG session. From its lovable characters and its detailed world, the comic contains wit and humor blended with gritty action and an engaging plot that keeps you wanting more and more.
I won’t lie when I tell you that when I first read a Rat Queens comic – issue 16 with Critical Role – a few years ago I did not find it all that great. Jump forward to today and I am all in for what is next from the Rat Queens. It just goes to show that the more time you spend with characters or a series the more it grows on you. It’s much like character development where you have an idea at the beginning but as time goes on the character grows and changes in ways you never even thought about.
Characters
Rat Queens Volume 1: Sass and Sorcerery follows the story of the adventuring party made up of Betty the rogue, Violet the fighter, Dee the cleric, and Hannah the wizard. The world is swords and sorcery and feels like a beginning quest. The leading ladies are one of many protectors of the city of Palisade. They collect bounties and contracts to slay monsters and complete quests. The party is already well established in the city and the comic does a great job at letting you know everyone knows who they are and they aren’t particularly well-liked even though they get things done.
There are several other characters introduced to make the world feel more alive and it makes everything feel grander and meaningful. Even though there are a lot of characters writer Kurtis Wiebe makes each one engaging. They have a unique way of speaking and handling situations, especially the Rat Queens. They also have their own secrets and pasts that appear to play a larger part in future issues. Betty is an adorable firecracker that will cut you if you look at her or her friends the wrong way. Whereas Violet is a tough and resilient dwarven warrior that is always ready to protect her fellow party members.
In any tabletop role-playing game using backstory is one of the best ways to advance plot. The first five issues were just a prelude to the larger story at hand.
Story
Speaking of story issues 1 -5 focused on setting up the characters. Wiebe understands characters and builds time to connect and establish who each one is. The writing is vivid and flows fluidly with the artwork which is equally as stunning. The first arc is one big quest to find out who is trying to kill off adventuring party members. It’s the classic tale of one quest evolving into another leading to larger threats on the horizon.
While on a contract, the Rat Queens are given a quest to clean out a cave of goblins. There is nothing more nostalgic sounding than that in a TTRPG game. Yet things don’t go as planned and that greater threat arrives in the form of an assassin. The challenge shifts to finding out who hired the assassins and why they are killing party members. It keeps you guessing about who it may be but excellently presents the story in a clear and concise manner.
Fight scenes are graphic but remain engaging, entertaining, witty, and full of motion without being overly and unnecessarily violent. Slower-paced moments are easy to follow and don’t drag on. Each panel contains beautiful art and conversations that advance the story and develop the characters.
Rat Queens: Volume 1 is the classic tale of the beginner adventure party. The world is full of terrifying creatures and realistic characters who act like real people. There is plenty of adult language and adult situations that would make Captain America blush but nothing that doesn’t fit in with the narrative. The main Rat Queens crew is violent and often attacks first and asks questions later. Yet they’re all lovable and enjoyable throughout their quirks, mannerisms, and qualities.
Rat Queens: Volume 1 is highly recommended to fantasy and fans! It is thrilling, intriguing, fast-paced, and contains a world full of engaging and realistic characters. We give it a 9 on a d10.
We look at the top spells from a druid’s list that are essential to prepare, even though they don’t do damage!
Druids in D&D are such a flexible class. They can transform into animals or elementals. They can focus on devastating damage, restorative healing, or environment manipulation. Whatever way you choose to play your druid character is valid and fantastic for the type of story you are telling. But for this article, we are going to take a look at our picks for the top non-combat (and non-healing) druid spells that are great to prepare each game!
Heat Metal (2nd)
Heat metal is one of those spells that you don’t think about it until you need it. And then it is essential. You are able to transmit fire damage to an object for one minute, but its utility goes beyond that. You can use it to destroy locks, open doors, bend prison bars, and damage equipment. This makes it extremely useful for non-combat explorative and intrigue situations. And since it is only a second level spell, you can cast it at higher levels for really dense metal that you need to destroy.
Conjure Animals (3rd)
Sure, it is useful to have animal helpers in combat, by why limit this spell just for that? Do you need to transport a group a long distance? Summon eight giant owls. Do you need to search for something missing? Summon some hounds. These conjured animals can be used to dig tunnels, cause distractions, or fetch items. And if another D&D player has Speak With Animals or Beast Sense prepared, these animals can be used for reconnaissance, as well.
Speak With Plants (3rd)
This D&D spell is excellent for information-gathering. Sure, the intelligence of plants is rather low. But if your questions are phrased simply enough, there is no end to the type of intel you can learn about the location, who passed by, or what events could be going on. While this spell comes to mind the most in the wilderness, don’t forget the house garden of a villainous character can be just as helpful!
Commune With Nature (5th)
This spell has so many great applications. Where it really shines is helping a D&D party uncover secrets in unfamiliar territory. Are you searching for a hidden pond? Looking for a secret city? Trying to find a tunnel through a mountain? Or searching for an interplanar monster? Commune With Nature can help with all of these! The best thing about this spell is that it is a ritual, so you don’t have to worry about using up valuable 5th-level spell slots.
Transport Via Plants (6th)
When it comes to getting around quickly in the world, Transport Via Plants is a must. When your party gets to upper levels, the game typically shifts focus away from the every day dangers of traveling and more to the quest at hand, usually on a “world saving” scope. And to help your character focus on their next challenge, and getting quickly to a destination, this spell is fantastic. Since the druid still has to be familiar with a location, it keeps a challenge present and makes the spell not an easy fix for every situation.
Wind Walk (6th)
Despite competing for a spell slot with Transport Via Plants, we still want to name Wind Walk as a top non-combat spell. It is great for quick travel in locations with no trees, or for places the druid is unfamiliar with. It also makes sneaking through large locations more viable. If done correctly, this is not game-breaking. The D&D party still has to be physical to interact with anything, and this transformation takes a full minute. At the level that 6th-level spells become available, the party should not be really encountering dungeons that have no value other than getting from point A to point B, anyway. But if your party is trying to find a hidden chamber in a city of enemies, this spell makes for more dynamic exploration.
Animal Shapes (8th)
This spell is great to overcome a variety of challenges. Does your party need to fly somewhere? Swim deep into the ocean? Burrow underground? Blend in with the local farm animals? This spell is as useful as it is fun, bringing a levity to the often stressful situations parties at level 15+ can encounter.
We look over the two days of fun for D&D Live 2021 and what we as storytellers can take away from it.
We look forward every year to D&D Live. While the pandemic has changed its format, it is still good fun and filled with interesting stories. We love to hear these small, often humor-filled one shot games, as well as learn about new products that may be of interest to us as storytellers. Let’s take a look at the highlights!
The New Books
This D&D Live talked about three of their new books coming out. Depending on the styles of stories you prefer, you can benefit from any number of these.
The big announcement was Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. Fizban is a much-loved character from the Dragonlance book series. This book focuses on a variety of dragons, expanding the types, the lore, and even offers more subraces of Dragonborn. It explains the creation of the Material Plane in terms of draconic powers. This book is great for anyone that loves dragons and wants more of them in their stories.
Click the photo to go to Amazon’s pre-order page
They also discussed two recently revealed books. The first is The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. Do you like creepy carnival vibes? Things that look whimsical but are actually disturbing? This book is for you. It is centered on the plane known as the Feywild and expands the lore around that greatly. As fans of all the different planes in D&D, we definitely like books like this!
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The final book is a mix of D&D and Magic: the Gathering in Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos. Let your magical student dreams come to life! You can balance classes, extracurricular activities, cliques, and adventures in this supplemental guide. This one caught our attention most of all and we will definitely be purchasing it when it becomes available.
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The Games
There were a bunch of fun games throughout the two days. Our focus here is going to be on what storytellers can learn about running games, role-playing, and telling stories from each of these.
The Lost Odyssey: Last Light Table – This game was DM’d by Kate Welch and had Jack Black, Reggie Watts, Lauren Lapkus, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, and Tiffany Haddish all playing. This game was a good demonstration that you don’t need a complex storyline or a lot of seriousness to play a fun oneshot. As always, Kate Welch does great in rolling with the antics of energetic new players to keep the story going forward while also allowing them to goof off.
The Chaos Carnival Table – DM’d by Aabria Iyengar with players Xavier Woods, Ember Moon, Mace, and Tyler Breeze. A mix of the creepy and spontaneous, this game showed you can have silly characters thrust into very dark situations and it still works. Aabria’s character voices are always a pleasure to listen to as she is a great actor.
The Fluffybonks and Guzzleshucks Table – DM’d by Amy Vorpahl with players DrLupo, Negaoryx, Ify Nwadiwe, Kevin Pereira, Adam Sessler, and Fiona Nova. Venturing into the depraved world of the Feywild, this story was a good example of how a very diverse cast of characters – some being quite silly and others being quite serious – can still come together to drive plot forward. Amy rolled with multiple “delays” to speed up the story and keep things on track within the time limit gracefully, a great lesson on DM’ing.
The Palace of the Vampire Queen Table – DM’d by B. Dave Walters with players Patton Oswalt, Nicke Peine, Marisa Baram, Allyson Snyder, and Jacob Houston. We have played in B. Dave’s games before and what we love best about his storytelling style is that he has a way of making non-combat situations feel tense, dynamic, and that there is plenty to do. This was the case in this game centered around a ballroom-esque invitation to a palace where things were more than they seemed.
Beadle & Grimm’s Faster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill! Table – DM’d by Jon Ciccolini with Bill Rehor, the players were Seth Green, B. Dave Walters, Deborah Ann Wohl, and Xander Jeanneret. A benefit for the charities that money was raised for across these two days, this game was a good example that it is okay to offer difficult situations and kill characters if the story calls for it.
Summary
All in all, this was another fun D&D Live event that shares of love of stories, of ever-growing worlds, and of helpful products and tools so you can continue to tell what is in your heart.
A quick guide to knowing just how your character looks from their clothes to their weapons.
When building a character for a tabletop game, oftentimes, there isn’t a clear picture of what your character looks like. Unless you have an artist draw them up or talk about how they look, other players and even the dungeon master may not always remember what they wear or wield. We’ve put together an easy guide so you and everyone at the table gets a clear and precise picture of what your character is all about.
While this is more specifically aimed at TTRPG’s, these can easily be applied to any character creation.
Choose a Color Scheme
When thinking of Lord of the Rings, Gandalf is always depicted as wearing either blue or gray/white. He always walks with his famous walking stick and smokes a pipe. The movies helped cement this image into our heads and we’ve never forgotten it. Color is a great way to make your character stand out from others. When you’re building your character, follow this list:
What is their favorite color?
Perhaps they wear a lot of whatever color that is. A bard may paint their instruments a shade of purple and take on the name ‘The Purple Pantomime’.
Mix and Match Colors
You could also try mixing and matching colors too. Wearing colorful vibrant clothes is a great way to be remembered.
Hair and Beard
Dying your characters hair or beard is a great way to differentiate yourself.
What does your character carry with them?
Having your character carry around a specific item is a good way to remember them by. It could be something like a weapon, using a particular spell, or carrying a flask or coin they play with.
Use a Character Miniature Builder
Programs like Hero Forge, Eldritch Foundry, or Doll Divine are great tools for bringing your characters to life. They allow you to customize your character in a number of ways. Once you’re done you can either have a 3D mini mailed to you or print it out yourself using a 3D printer. Many online creators even provide additions such as weapons, pets, and poses you can set your character in as well.
Ruuda Drybarrel made in Eldritch Foundry.
Video Game Character Creators
RPG video games are a great resource for building out your character. Whether it’s Elder Scrolls Online, Neverwinter, Baldur’s Gate 3, or Solasta, all of them give you a chance to create a vivid character. You may end up spending hours in the character creator but it’s all worth it in the end.
You can then take a picture of the character and bring it with you to future sessions.
Examples
We are going to take the list above and offer examples. These are all characters from our epic fantasy Thread of Souls book series. If you are still lost on how to narrow down this information, check these out!
What makes Ruuda stand out?
On the run from her city’s caste system, Ruuda dyed her hair red, orange, yellow, and white to hide herself from those who may know her. To her friends, she easily stands out during battles and chaotic moments. She also carries around a barrel she wears like a backpack.
What does Taliesin wear?
Taliesin is a cleric who spent his life putting undead to rest so he wears all black attire. He also themes his outfit around his goddess and wears spiderwebs.
Why does Jade have a tattoo?
Jade grew up in a nomadic druid tribe where everyone got tattoos that represent culture and tradition. It is similar to Polynesian island tribes.
How does Jasita speak?
Jasita is very soft spoken in large crowds. She relies on reading people’s minds to get information. She is a researcher and academic and often uses larger words and phrases to get her point across.
Why does the Citadel wear pink robes?
The Citadel is a place of law and order as well as a school. The robes represent station and power. The color pink was chosen because it is easily noticeble and anyone who sees it will instantly recognize it means the Citadel is here.
Fun Fact: It may also be becuase Dorian watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and loved how Dolores Umbridge wore pink. It isn’t an evil color at all and that’s what makes it unique and engaging. Not saying the Citadel is evil.
The third Panel from Hell revealed an extensive amount of details for what’s to come in Baldur’s Gate 3. We are huge fans of the Early Access module and are excited for the future of the game. This isn’t going to be an article about all of the new things coming to Patch 5 because there’s a lot of it and you can read it all here. Instead, we’re going to be focusing on one specific aspect of the stream, the LARPG mechanic, and how it can be used to inspire story creation.
We give our top tips to creating stories and developing characters in your world to make your Dungeons & Dragons game the best it can be!
Larian Studios did something a little different than their last two Panels from Hell streams. Instead of focusing on Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay, the studio designed an epic live-action role-playing (LARP) event involving developers acting as a Dungeons & Dragons party. Swen Vincke, founder and creative director of Larian Studios, led the party on a grand adventure taking them through the real-life castle of Gravensteen Castle.
Establishing the Party
The stream consisted of a party of four including Warlock, Fighter, Ranger, Cleric, Druid, Wizard, and Rogue. Your home game doesn’t have to include a specific class of characters nor does it need one class above all to make the party dynamic work. There is a reason skills exist and that’s why anyone is free to roll for any skill whether you’re a wizard who’s trying to pick a lock or a barbarian who’s trying to be stealthy.
Click on the picture to go to Amazon’s product page for Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition
Discuss Who You are
During the stream, Swen would ask party members questions about their character. Even though the dungeon master may be aware of a character’s backstory, other players may not be. It could be used as a moment to discuss more about who your character is. Or it sets up a nice scene to talk about characters and their story.
This can be done during a quest while the party is walking through the area or dungeon or during a long rest. Partch 5 for Baldur’s Gate 3 will change how the resting system works by shifting the standard location to the area where the party is exploring. It’s during this time that characters will typically talk to one another about something on their mind. One scene showed the adventuring party resting around a campfire discussing their adventure. This is a great moment to talk about your character and their background.
Backgrounds are another great way to interact with the players and their characters. If a character has the Folk Hero background the dungeon master can pull from it to encourage role-play. For instance, a Folk Hero is able to blend in in certain scenarios. A DM can have an NPC approach the character and give them a safe place to rest for a time. From there the game master can have the NPC reach out to the Folk Hero for help and then reward them with experience points or items or whatever they so choose.
You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate among other commoners, unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them.
LARPing is all about dressing as the character you are playing as. This can also be done at the table whether it’s digital or physical. The outfit can be full-on cosplay and include homemade weapons and armor or something like casual cosplay. Casual cosplay is matching everyday clothes you may have to that of your character’s aesthetic.
Another option is to wear accessories that your character may wear. Objects like necklaces, rings, or scarves are simple yet add so much to who your character is.
Make a Mood Room
A mood room is a place that inspires creativity. It is full of all of the stuff that helps you create a story, character, or project. While you may not have access to an entire castle like the Panel from Hell 3, you can build your own where ever you live.
Setting up a Mood Room:
Dungeons & Dragons minis
Weapons and armor
Books
Accessories
Sit and listen to fantasy music
Play a fantasy video game like Baldur’s Gate
Role-play Outside of the Game
The character’s in the stream role-played their characters throughout the panel. They spoke and acted just like their character would in a Dungeons & Dragons game. Yet beforehand they practiced their part and got into character like actors would before a movie role. It’s something you can do at home outside of the game as well. By spending time thinking or acting as your character away from the game, you can help build who they are all the time. Characters are always shifting, changing, and growing and character development can even happen outside of the game. You can also use this time to talk to other players as your character or discuss them away from the table.
