100+ Character Questions for improving your roleplay and characters

I talk about this list a lot, I get asked about it a lot. Below you will find over 100 questions I use to flush out my characters and make them more real. These help move the character from a jumble of stats and loose personality traits to a more solid character.

This list has come together from many sources. Friends, other game masters, internet sources and more. I can’t take full credit for it. I’ve tried to curate it down to a list that is both comprehensive and useful, without it being too big to actually make use of.

Try not to answer these in order. Go through and do the easy ones first, they’ll help you figure out the more difficult ones. I suggest going through the list at least twice, as, after the first time, you may find that your character has changed a great deal after the questions and the first ones you’ve answered need to be changed.

In general, the more information you give in your response to a question, the better. Give details. Don’t be brief.

The list:

Out of Game

1. What do you want to get out of playing this character?
2. What kind of play style do you want?
3. What types of play are you interested in (combat, intrigue, politics, underworld, PVP, arcane/mystery, etc)?
4. Describe your character with three words

The Basics

1. What is your name?
2. Do you have any nicknames or aliases?
3. What is your race (or nationality)?
4. What is your position in society (rank, social class, etc)
5. What is your profession?

Family

1. Who are your parents or who raised you?
2. Do you have any other family?
3. Are any of them still alive? Is so, are they still involved in your life?
4. What is your relationship with them? Did you get along with them?
5. Are you married? (Or do you have a significant other?)
6. Do you have children? Describe them.
7. How close are you to your family?
8. If you’ve not started a family, do you want to? Why or why not?

Physical

1. Are you left or right handed?
2. What is your physical build? (Lithe, stocky, average━be descriptive.)
3. What does your voice sound like?
4. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?

Mannerisms

1. What phrases are you known for saying?
2. Do you have any quirks or odd habits?
3. What do you do that others might find annoying?

Personality

1. Are you an optimist or pessimist?
2. What are your religious beliefs?
3. What are your political views?
4. What do you fear and what is your greatest fear?
5. Who do you admire and why?
6. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
7. How do you deal with stress?
8. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
9. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? Do you want to quit?
10. What is your idea of a good time?
11. What do you do to relax?
12. Are you neat or messy? (Organized or cluttered?)
13. Do you avoid (interpersonal) conflict?
14. Do you like to plan or do you prefer to wing it?
15. How do you deal with stress?
16. What annoys you?
17. What brings you joy?

Morals

1. Could you kill? Under what circumstances?
2. Have you committed any crimes? What and why?
3. What is the evilest thing you’ve ever done?
4. What is the best thing you’ve ever done?
5. What is the worst thing a person can do?

Interesting Tidbits

1. What do you have in your pockets?
2. What is your best memory?
3. What is your worst memory?
4. What are your hobbies?
5. What is your favorite color?
6. What is your favorite food?
7. What is your most treasured possession?
8. Puppies or kittens?
9. Do you like to read? What?
10. What are your pet peeves?
11. What does a normal day look like for you?

Background

1. Describe your childhood.
2. Growing up, what did you enjoy doing?
3. Growing up, who were your friends?
4. What is your earliest memory?
5. What did you want to be when you grew up?
6. How much schooling have you had?
7. Did you enjoy school?
8. Do you have any role models (growing up or otherwise)? Describe them.
9. Who is the most important person in your life?
10. What do you regret the most?
11. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Romantic

1. What is your sexual orientation?
2. What is your gender identity?
3. What are your views on sex?
4. What do you look for in a potential partner/lover?
5. Have you ever been in love? Describe it.
6. Do you believe in true love or soulmates?
7. Who was your first kiss?
8. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?

Relationships

1. Who is important in your life now?
2. Who are your friends and allies? Describe them and what they mean to you.
3. Do you belong to any groups or organizations?
4. Who do you look up to and who do you respect?
5. Who has influence over you and how?
6. Who do you count on for help? Who would you turn to in your darkest moment?
7. If you were killed or disappeared, who would miss you and why?

Cornerstones

1. What do you most want to accomplish with your life?
2. What is your greatest strength?
3. What is your greatest weakness?
4. Do you like who you are?
5. What do you need to improve on?
6. What is one thing you would change about yourself if you could?
7. How do you treat others, especially those worse off than you? Better than you?
8. Do you care what others think about you? why?
9. What would you give your life for, if anything?
10. Is there anything you’d refuse to do, under any circumstances?
11. Do you hide your thoughts and feeling? How close do you let people get?
12. When was the time you were the most frightened?
13. When was the time you were most excited?
14. What is your most embarrassing moment?
15. What is your vice?
16. What is your Virtue?
17. Would you change anything about your past if you could? Why?
18. Who do you hate and why?
19. What makes you laugh?
20. What makes you cry?
21. Are you a leader or a follower? Why?
22. What are you good at? (Name a few things.)
23. What are you bad at? (Name a few things.)
24. What is the most important thing to ever happen to you?
25. Can you be vulnerable? Can you let others protect you? Who and why?
26. How do you prefer to resolve conflicts? (Talk, violence, trickery, etc)
27. How would you like to be remembered after you die?
28. How do others see you? (Or how would you want others to see you?)

Other great resources for character questions:

• http://www.miniworld.com/adnd/100ThingsAboutUrPCBackGround.html
• https://www.novel-software.com/theultimatecharacterquestionnaire
• http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapter-get-started/hooked-on-a-feeling
• http://dungeonsmaster.com/2010/11/27-questions/

Have questions you think should be on this list?  Add them below in the comments!

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Photo: Kelsey Elise Daily – Twin Mask Larp