Creating your first Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) character can be a fun and exciting experience, especially if you’re new to tabletop role-playing games. Whether you’re planning on joining an existing campaign or starting your own, here are some steps to help you create your first character and get ready to embark on your adventure.
Before we start…
It’s important to note that creating a character for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign is often a collaboration between the player and the Dungeon Master (DM). The DM is responsible for running the game and creating the overall campaign setting, while the player is responsible for creating their character and bringing them to life. It’s important to communicate with the DM about any ideas or themes you have for your character, as well as any specific requirements or limitations for the campaign.
For example, if the campaign is set in a specific time period or location, the DM may have guidelines for what kinds of races and classes are appropriate. By working together, the player and DM can create a character that fits seamlessly into the campaign and is ready to embark on exciting adventures.
The step by step
- Choose a race: One of the first things you’ll need to do when creating your D&D character is decide on their race. The race you choose will determine your character’s physical characteristics, such as their appearance and natural abilities. Some popular races include humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings.
- Choose a class: The next step is to decide on your character’s class. The class you choose will determine your character’s role in the group and the skills and abilities they possess. Popular classes include wizards, fighters, and clerics.
- Determine your character’s ability scores: Ability scores represent your character’s natural abilities in six key areas: strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma. You can either roll dice to determine your scores or use a point-buy system to allocate a set number of points to your scores.
- Select your character’s skills and proficiencies: Each class has a set of skills and proficiencies that they excel at, such as stealth or persuasion. You can choose a few additional skills and proficiencies to round out your character’s abilities.
- Choose your character’s equipment: Your character will need a variety of gear to help them on their adventures, such as weapons, armor, and other equipment. You can choose from a variety of options depending on your character’s class and the campaign you’ll be playing in.
- Give your character a backstory: One of the most fun parts of creating a D&D character is coming up with their backstory. This can include things like where they grew up, their family and relationships, and any notable events or experiences that have shaped their personality and abilities.
- Determine your character’s alignment: Alignment in D&D represents your character’s moral and ethical stance, with options ranging from lawful good to chaotic evil. Consider your character’s personality and motivations when determining their alignment.
- Name your character. A good character name can really help bring your character to life, so take some time to come up with a name that fits their personality and background.