Writing Your Backstory
As you start a new campaign, developing your backstory is just as important as making selections on your character sheet. A great backstory can help define how you want to roleplay your character, keep you fully engaged in the story arc, and give your Dungeon Master the tools they need to give you awesome in-game moments. However, a poor backstory can do the opposite.
If you’ve ever found yourself not understanding why your character is a part of your group, how they fit into the DM’s story, or how to react to the issues they see in the world, then you probably didn’t focus your backstory in the right direction.
So first, we’ll go over some basic Do’s and Don’ts, then we’ll deep dive into giving your character proper motivation and fitting them into the world.
THE BASICS
Formatting:
Let’s get formatting out of the way first. Like all these recommendations, it starts with communicating with your DM. Some enjoy reading a short story, while others want only bullet points answering only specific questions they pose. Generally, about a page of text should be plenty of information. That being said, feel free to expand further for your own benefit. I personally like to have a summary paragraph to share with the party, but I find a short story let’s me truly find the voice of my character.
Tier of Play:
Keep in mind what level character you’re building. If the party is starting at Level 1, you’re a fresh-faced adventurer who dreams of finding fame, fortune and love. If you start at Level 10, you have freedom to write that you DID find true love, and made a fortune. But maybe that love was kidnapped or someone swindled you from your gold. At Level 15, you might be someone who saved the world a couple times already, but now the son of the Necromancer you killed 20 years ago is threatening the world. Overall, the higher tier of play you start at, the more complex your life has been. You can be forced out of retirement for one last mission.
Tropes:
There are certain tropes that permeate the Fantasy world, and generally all fiction. I know some DM’s that straight up forbid elements like being an orphan and avenging the death of your whole family. I don’t particularly mind, as long as you throw your own spin on them. Please don’t try to cheat the game by saying you’re unbelievably wealthy or connected. Work with your DM if you genuinely want to do that, but expect a compromise. Maybe you fell from grace, and need to rebuild what you previously had. Your connections might be jealous of you, or your family may have sent you out into the world to prove you can be trusted with an inheritance.
The one trope to avoid is the “Chosen One.” Remember that you’re playing this game as a group in a party of equals. Stating that it at the time of your birth, there was a prophecy that you would save the world will separate you from the rest of the party in a bad way, and pigeonhole your DM. Nothing ruins a collaborative game faster than someone with Main Character Syndrome.
Collaborate:
Feel free to work with your fellow players on building previous connections. Doing so can automatically instill trust in the party and give you someone to roleplay with. You can play loved ones or old friends. Or, you can just be acquaintances who you did a job with once before. You can decide just how much you know of each other’s backstories, and how much you want to keep from the rest of the group - at least at the start.
MOTIVATING YOUR CHARACTER
Please keep this truth in mind. Your backstory is what happened in the PAST. You’re meant to take that information and let it influence your character’s actions in the present. For instance, if your dog was killed by a specific Thieve’s Guild, you’ll probably be aggressive towards them if you see them. If your family for the past 5 generations were scholars of the Arcane, you might REALLY want that rare scroll you find in that bookstore no matter how you get it. And if your face was scarred by fire as a child, you’ll probably want to impose the Frightened condition on yourself near a bonfire.
Also, please don’t try to write a roadmap for your character’s arc. Understand you can add what your character WANTS in the story, but it’s ultimately up to the DM to determine what you NEED.
“It’s motivation for roleplaying; not a predetermined plan for what’s going to happen in the campaign.”
Besides general roleplaying, your backstory should provide a catalyst that drives you into the adventure. It’s your character’s motivation for being a member of the party and sharing the same major goal. It doesn’t mean you have to hold to the same ideals, alignment or methods per se. But you should have enough wiggle room to work together without arguing or actively fighting during every interaction.
Let’s take the Fellowship of the Ring for example. The 9 members have their own lives spread throughout the world and go to the council at Rivendell for their own reasons. They’ve been given their catalyst to leave home and go on an adventure. In campaign terms, everything before the council meeting can be their backstory and Session 0. No matter what their motivations, they all seek to solve the problem of Sauron.
Now, as they set out from Rivendell, 8 of the 9 people want to help Frodo destroy the ring, but Boromir wants to use it as a weapon. While Sam goes along in order to protect Frodo, Gandalf understands the far wider implications, but they both want the same outcome. On the other hand, Boromir becomes an antagonist attacks Frodo and argues with the group the whole way. Yes, he redeems himself at his end, and in the book, that provides great drama. BUT, at an RPG table, that just makes you a dick. It’s not fun for the rest of the group to play with a Boromir.
INCORPORATING YOUR CHARACTER
Besides providing the call to adventure and influencing your character’s actions, a great backstory incorporates you into the campaign’s world. Start by communicating with the DM. Know elements of the setting, the world’s history and the general theme of the campaign. With that information in mind, you can work in a few details that help you feel grounded and a part of your surroundings.
A couple locations gives you a sense of geography. One can be a starting point - where you were born, trained, fought, etc. It’s a point on the map that evokes feelings when it’s brought up. Whether its joy and excitement over going home, or trepidation about revisiting a place where you faced tragedy. It might also serve you to add a location as a possible destination that will help your side quests. It could be a library that holds the information you seek or a legendary smithy who can craft a weapon for you.
Other key details are names. Give your DM one or two NPCs they can feel free to sprinkle into the world if they so choose. Someone you recognize can be a great surprise - a family member, ex-lover, mentor or rival. They can all be sources of drama and information.
And of course, the person doesn’t have to be known to you. Imagine the mystery of your best friend uttering the name of their assassin as they die in your arms. In a less dramatic way, you can give the name of your favorite author you want to emulate as you grow into your new profession as a Bard. Someday, you hope to meet them as equals.
CONCLUSION
Some key takeaways:
Follow the length and formatting wishes of your DM.
Provide them with details they can incorporate into their story.
Don’t expect them to do anything with the backstory. Those details can be fun callbacks, or not.
Collaborate.
Use the story as motivation for your roleplaying, and a reminder as to why your character is along for the adventure.
