Character Concept

The two most important things to know about your character are who he is and what role you want him to play in his adventures. Find out what kind of game the GM plans to run and what kinds of characters he intends to allow. Then start filling in the details. There are several ways to approach this.

You can choose the abilities you want, spend your character points, and work out a character concept that fits the abilities. A good character is much more than a collection of abilities, but "shopping" for abilities can be a great inspiration.

You might instead decide on your character’s focal qualities first – the handful of things that define him, such as personal history, appearance, behavior, aptitudes, and skills. Think about how he acquired those qualities, then spend your points on features that go with these traits. (You might find it useful to work out a biography first, as described below.)

Finally, you might find it helpful to answer some basic questions about your character, using the answers to develop a biography before you spend any points. For instance:

• Where was he born and where did he grow up? Where does he live now?
• Who were his parents? (Does he know?) Are they still alive? If not, what became of them? If so, does he get along with them?
• What training does he have? Was he an apprentice? A student? Or is he self-taught?
• What is his current occupation? What other jobs has he held?
• What social class does he belong to? How wealthy is he?
• Who are his friends? His enemies? His closest professional associates?
• What were the most important moments of his life?
• What are his likes and dislikes?
• Hobbies and interests? Morals and beliefs?
• What are his motivations? Plans for the future?

(Also see 365 Character Questions for Writers and Roleplayers.)

You can answer such questions in your head, on paper, or in an interview with the GM. You can even discuss them with the other players (but you will want to keep some secrets, even from your friends). Or you might prefer to answer them by writing a life history.

Life Histories

To really solidify your character concept, you can write your character's life history, or "character story." You don't have to write a character story – but it's recommended. If you do, then you should show this story to the GM, but not necessarily to the other players. This can serve as a great aid to roleplaying, and can help the GM integrate your character into his campaign world.

As your character adventures and gains experience, his "story" will get longer and more detailed. Not only will you have the adventures themselves to remember...the more you play your character, the more you'll work out his background, history, and motivations.

Characterization Bonus

Writing a life history amounts to roleplaying a character before the campaign begins. The GM might choose to reward players who write detailed character stories with a few extra character points for good roleplaying – perhaps 1 to 5 points. The story need not be a literary masterpiece to merit bonus points, but it should be more than just a token effort, and should attempt to answer all of the questions listed under Character Concept that are relevant to the character.

Character Types

A character can have any combination of abilities he can afford, provided the GM agrees. (Players of other RPGs take note: this means that GURPS does not use character classes.) However, all of his abilities should paint a picture consistent with his character concept. Some inspirations from heroic fiction:

Exotic. An alien, angel, robot, "super" (a comic-book superhuman), or other hero defined by his unusual powers or nature. Most of his starting points should go toward high attributes, exotic or Category:Supernatural supernatural advantages, or a racial template. As a result, he probably has fewer mundane abilities than his fellow adventurers.

Jack-of-All-Trades. A many-skilled hero: mercenary, bush pilot, reporter, etc. DX and IQ are most important. Advantages such as Talent and Versatile can help. Pick one or two skills from those suggested for each of the other character types. A Jack-of-All-Trades isn't as good as a dedicated expert, but he has some skill in many areas.

Mouthpiece. A bard, con man, or other person who exploits wit and charm. IQ is crucial. Charisma, Cultural Familiarity, Rapier Wit, Voice, and a good appearance are all useful. Most important are skills that emphasize social interaction: Carousing, Fast-Talk, Merchant, Public Speaking, and so on.

Sage. A "wise man" – priest, professor, scientist, etc. High IQ is essential. Classic advantages are Eidetic Memory, Intuition, Language Talent, and Languages (and, in some campaigns, Illuminated!). He needs several related IQ/Hard skills in obscure fields (Expert Skills are especially suitable), as well as Research, Teaching, and Writing.

Scout. A seasoned outdoorsman or "ranger." All attributes are equally important; some extra Basic Move and Perception can be extremely useful. The archetypal scout advantage is Absolute Direction. Valuable skills include Area Knowledge, Camouflage, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, and Tracking.

Sneak. Thieves and spies need high DX and IQ, as well as good Perception. Helpful advantages include High Manual Dexterity and Night Vision. Many skills are appropriate – Acting, Current Affairs, Disguise, and Savoir-Faire suit a worldly spy, while a fantasy thief should pick Climbing, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, and Traps. Stealth skill is universal!

Specialist. An expert at one skill. His knowledge runs deep and narrow; he is the opposite of the Jack-of-All-Trades. His skill is very high (at least 18), with a good score in the attribute it is based on. Any advantage that gives a skill bonus is helpful – especially Talent.

Tinkerer. An engineer, inventor, technician, or other mechanical genius. IQ is vital; DX is useful. Any kind of technological skill fits this sort of character (see Skills for Design, Repair, and Use), and Scrounging skill is de rigueur. Cinematic inventors should also have High TL,

Gadgeteer, and Gizmos.

Warrior. A professional fighter needs high ST, DX, and HT, and might wish to buy up Hit Points and Basic Speed. Useful advantages include Combat Reflexes, Hard to Kill, and High Pain Threshold; cinematic warriors should also consider Extra Attack and Weapon Master. Combat skills are a must, and Leadership, Strategy, and Tactics can help. Modern commandos should add skills such as Explosives, Forward Observer, and Parachuting.

Wizard. IQ and Magery are crucial. Extra Fatigue Points are useful for powering magic. Of course, a wizard needs spells – as many as he can afford! Although wizards are most common in magical worlds, the "surprise value" of a mage on a low-magic world can compensate for his reduced effectiveness.