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|  Streetline | Feb 25, 8:36pm | Hello SU Roleplayers,
So I had this idea the other day to encourage variations in roleplaying for my gaming group. I have the kind of group where each person always plays a certain class character that acts a certain way, with little variations between games.
To combat this, I decided to create character cards that are randomly assigned and handed out when players start doing their backgrounds. Basically the GM rolls 1d6 to pick a category and then 2d8 to pick from 15 cards. Each card has a 1-3 sentence idea or quirk the player needs to work into their background and in-game roleplaying. I've only got a few cards done at the moment and was hoping I could get everyone's input on the idea and perhaps a few of your ideas for cards.
I'm hoping these will be as general as possible so they won't be confined to a specific system or setting, and also open-ended so players have some freedom to interpret each card in their own way. I also don't want them to affect game rules greatly, more personality traits and things you'd roleplay rather than physical or otherwise stat-changing aspects of your character. Also, the Personality category would be optional, I won't force my player's to roleplay their character according to certain personalities, but they can have a random personality rolled for them if they wish.
Here we go:
Drama - Issues dealing with characters; how they interact with others and themselves.
Lovestruck: You're secretly in love with another member of the party (Players can re-roll this card in single-sex parties.) You'll never admit how you feel, but the feelings may surface during high-stress situations.
Comedy - In-character circumstances to make us laugh.
Butterfingers: You've always had terrible grip, incurring the nickname of "Butterfingers" as a child. When you pick up, hold, draw or otherwise use your hands to interact with an object, there is a 25% chance you will drop it.
Kama Sutra Master: When it comes to doing doing dirty, you practically wrote the book. Members of the opposite sex revere your skill, stamina and fortitude.
Scatterbrained: You are particularly airheaded. You have trouble concentrating on specific tasks, and instead jump around a lot, never being able to focus
Stage Fright: You're absolute rubbish at talking to members of the opposite sex. Whenever you do, you suffer from your anxiety, which manifests itself as anything from sweating to gas to blatter control (or lack thereof).
Guttermind: Your head is always in the gutter. In any situation, you're the first to make a raunchey joke or come onto someone who just made an innocuous statement.
Narcoleptic: As soon as the excitement begins so do the Z's. You have a 10% of falling asleep when initiative is rolled in battle, or when otherwise in an excited state.
Giggolo: You'll sleep with anything that walks on two legs. Sometimes you're not even that discriminating. (lol Fallout)
Arbitrary Phobia: You are absolutely terrified of a certain silly object or idea. Examples include brown pants, trees that are spaced too closely together and Kiwi fruit.
Past Affiliations - Shady dealings and influential friends in a character's past.
Failed Assassin: You were once hired to kill an influential member of society, but something went wrong, and the hit was unsuccessful. Now the client and/or target wants revenge, forcing you to take extreme measures to protect yourself from his/her/their wrath.
Military Deserter: You served in the military at one point in time and deserted. You must now keep an eye over your shoulder for anyone looking to cash in on bringing a traitor to justice.
Friends in High Places: One of your close friends from earlier in life has made a name for him/herself. Choose what kind of influential person they are and how exactly you know them.
Mecenary Company: You were once a member of a mecenary company, but when the band disbanded, you were forced to strike it on your own. Occassionally, you still hear from your old buddies in the company.
Political Refugee: You betrayed your country or were in the wrong place doing the wrong thing at the wrong time and have been forced into exile.
Mentor: The person who trained you in your chosen field of expertise is still alive and often checks in on you or asks you to preform tasks for him/her.
Brewmaster: You once brewed ale in the basement of a pub/inn you used to own. While the alcohol was profitable, drunk innkeepers make no money, and you were forced to sell the establishment to your brother-in-law. He lets you stay there for free if it's not busy.
Veteran: You served a tour in the military and your service carreer is over. You still have some friends in the forces, though, and can come to them for favors or information.
Hobbies - Outside interests that are of dubious game-relevance characters may have.
Strengths/Flaws - Traits that could help or hinder characters during game play.
Phobia: You are unnaturally terrified of something and being confronted with it usually puts you out of commission.
Trustworthy: You have a likeable face and your presence puts people at ease.
Background - Things in a character's past that affects how he/she thinks and is thought of in the present.
Personality - Fascets and Traits of a character's personality. |
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|  mprsflame | Feb 26, 9:52am | That's a neat idea. It should work real good, too, if your players are all in agreement with it.
My daughter had a thief who was very good at his profession, unfortunately he was very afraid of heights. Another of her characters, a mage and the twin to the thief, could not catch a single grasshopper for one of his spells. It often drove him crazy, hearing a grasshopper while he was in the middle of something and going off to try and capture it. Oftentimes that would lead him off into trouble.
I had one who had a multiple personality issue. Now that one was fun to play.
Have one character who is basically of neutral-good to good who has a murder in his/her past that he/she committed. Decide whether the murder was by accident, self-defense or premeditated. I have a character in an online game with a dubious history. She also blushes extremely easy.
Give one a disfigurement that he/she keeps hidden somehow. One of my characters had an arm missing, but I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley anywhere, he was not a pleasant person if you angered him.
For a personality trait, I had one character who loved playing simple, fun practical jokes on his companions/friends.
I hope some of these were helpful. |
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| | Streetline | Feb 28, 9:58pm | | Good ideas mprsflame, and your little anecdote gave me another idea for a card, so thanks for all that. I'd be really interested to get Omnius and CastorQuinn's input as well, you guys generally know what's up. C'mon roleplayers, sound off like you've got a pair. :P |
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