Character creation in Dungeons & Dragons can be a journey greater than the campaign for some players. Just like in real life, the struggles, triumphs, adventures, and relationships a D&D character experiences will shape and change who they are. This isn’t limited to character alignment, but to every facet of their being. These challenges can change them forever, both for better and for worse. Some of the best characters can happen by accident, and their stories could be retold by the party to other players for years after the campaign concludes.
The temptation to set out and build the most amazing character possible can be hard to resist, especially for new Dungeons & Dragons players. After listening to hit podcasts like Critical Role or The Adventure Zone, the desire to create a memorable party member is a common goal, but can be a trap. Often, a player can forget to listen to party members, take risks with their character, or they might become so worried about roleplaying their D&D character correctly they no longer are able to enjoy the adventure. This can greatly impact the growth of not just one character, but the entire party.
The greatest D&D characters usually happen when no one is trying to create an intentionally great personality. This can be seen during the course of the McElroy Brother’s podcast The Adventure Zone: Balance. None of the players had ever been a part of a campaign, and started out with throw-away characters they didn’t take seriously. However, over the course of the story, they not only accidentally built vibrant, well-loved characters with engaging backstories, but each one grew in ways none of the players had originally anticipated. This made TAZ: Balance a hit with listeners, who were able to take the journey with the players and see the growth of the party throughout each new episode.
D&D Characters Can Change Over A Campaign
To give a character room to grow, Dungeons & Dragons players will want to build characters that are flexible. Instead of starting with a character who is already a hero, it could be they are completely ordinary. Instead of a harrowing, tragic D&D backstory, it could be they grew up in a healthy, normal family and are raw and innocent to the world’s hardships. While these backstories might seem bland, they can be the best base to give a character plenty of growth potential as they face challenges on their adventure.
The most important thing to remember when playing Dungeons & Dragons is not to take a character too seriously. Leaving room for humor, silly banter, and accidents can be the difference between a character that is flawed and relatable and a character too rigid to be open to the needed improv in campaign interactions. Dungeons & Dragons adventures are about experiencing a world filled with unimaginable activities, and exploring with a character open to the harrowing possibilities of life-changing challenges can lead to a memorable and enjoyable campaign.
