Playtesting Concepts: Who Should You Be?

The beautiful thing about not having a Clan or Path or Seeming or what-have-you is that you can focus entirely on WHO your character is, rather than WHAT he or she is. Of course, the difficulty comes in creating a concept that has no help from a sourcebook.

The oft-suggested-but-rarely-used 100 Questions is a route to take if you're into typing lots and lots. However, it's not always a successful way to explore your PC, simply because it is so regimented and, well, boring. There's a huge difference between filling out a form about your PC and actually PLAYING him or her.

So, since there're three weeks until the first game, I suggest playtesting some concepts. Pick a one-word descriptor, be it occupation or personality, and invite that concept into your head. Let it flesh itself out a bit. Do a routine activity in-character and see how you feel. You may think playing a pro-wrestler is cool, but find it doesn't hold up when it comes to interaction, emoting or backstory. On the flip side, you may think playing a Wal-Mart employee is lame, but find that there's all sorts of possibilities when you give him or her the night shift and put their store in the middle of Bithlow. The idea is to go for a swim in the concept. That's how you'll find out if it really works for you.

If you're a gambler, come ask me for suggestions that will fit well into the game. I'm happy to help in that regard.