Comments on: One Sentence Character Cores http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mischa http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores/comment-page-1#comment-3930 Mischa Thu, 07 Sep 2006 20:45:29 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=458#comment-3930 Both <a href="http://www.zmangames.com/rpgs/cartoon_action_hour.htm" rel="nofollow">Cartoon Action Hour</a> and <a href="http://malcontent.sourdust.com/7L/" rel="nofollow">Seven Leagues</a> require a tagline as part of character creation. With CAH, it's presented as a marketing gimmick for your action figure. With 7L, it's part of your character's Legend. Either way, a good way to focus charater concept. Both Cartoon Action Hour and Seven Leagues require a tagline as part of character creation.

With CAH, it’s presented as a marketing gimmick for your action figure. With 7L, it’s part of your character’s Legend.

Either way, a good way to focus charater concept.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores/comment-page-1#comment-3851 Martin Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:03:23 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=458#comment-3851 I sometimes build characters by starting out with a simple one-sentence core (although it's never as structured as Chris's suggestion), and sometimes end up with one. My most recent character went the second route (arriving at the core), my next most recent went the first (starting with it). In both cases, once I got my flow going they turned out well -- but man oh man is the first approach easier! When I don't start with a core/kernel concept, I flail a lot more than when I do. ;) I sometimes build characters by starting out with a simple one-sentence core (although it’s never as structured as Chris’s suggestion), and sometimes end up with one.

My most recent character went the second route (arriving at the core), my next most recent went the first (starting with it). In both cases, once I got my flow going they turned out well — but man oh man is the first approach easier!

When I don’t start with a core/kernel concept, I flail a lot more than when I do. ;)

]]> By: Chris http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores/comment-page-1#comment-3850 Chris Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:58:58 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=458#comment-3850 Hi Scott, That was pretty much my idea. A lot of times I see players get lost in putting together the various pieces of character crunch, and at the end, you don't have a very memorable or clear idea. Using the core idea as something to aim for, and making it before you do the math, has helped me, personally, a lot in building fun characters and not losing the idea. Hi Scott,

That was pretty much my idea. A lot of times I see players get lost in putting together the various pieces of character crunch, and at the end, you don’t have a very memorable or clear idea.

Using the core idea as something to aim for, and making it before you do the math, has helped me, personally, a lot in building fun characters and not losing the idea.

]]> By: ScottM http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores/comment-page-1#comment-3842 ScottM Tue, 05 Sep 2006 16:07:58 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=458#comment-3842 It seems a little simple, but as a core theme for a character (expecting lots of digressions and expansion), it'd work pretty well. In fact, for Universalis, that's about what you'd need to make a good character anyone could play correctly. It seems a little simple, but as a core theme for a character (expecting lots of digressions and expansion), it’d work pretty well. In fact, for Universalis, that’s about what you’d need to make a good character anyone could play correctly.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores/comment-page-1#comment-3807 Martin Mon, 04 Sep 2006 16:18:00 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=458#comment-3807 The SSNPC article is one of my all-time favorites. I've used it in my D&D games for years, and it rocks. Providing a readable description for the players is secondary to giving you, the GM, a solid handle on what they're like and how they act, though. The SSNPC article is one of my all-time favorites. I’ve used it in my D&D games for years, and it rocks. Providing a readable description for the players is secondary to giving you, the GM, a solid handle on what they’re like and how they act, though.

]]> By: Ian http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/one-sentence-character-cores/comment-page-1#comment-3745 Ian Sat, 02 Sep 2006 16:52:39 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=458#comment-3745 Honestly, I think it's kind of silly. Might as well just draw up a big table with columns for personality trait, profession and goal. Hell, toss name and race and whatever else is relevant in there too. I think the Dragon Compendium has something similar, the 7-Sentence NPC. Basically it's a way of fleshing out an NPC by constructing 7 sentences about it, each sentence focusing on a different aspect. I think it's meant to end up in such a way that you could tell it to your players in game. Honestly, I think it’s kind of silly. Might as well just draw up a big table with columns for personality trait, profession and goal. Hell, toss name and race and whatever else is relevant in there too.

I think the Dragon Compendium has something similar, the 7-Sentence NPC. Basically it’s a way of fleshing out an NPC by constructing 7 sentences about it, each sentence focusing on a different aspect. I think it’s meant to end up in such a way that you could tell it to your players in game.

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