

These ideals can also be reflected in D&D characters’ personality traits.ĭ&D bonds are things, people, or places that a character cares deeply about and would fight to protect. Developing ideals helps define what a character deeply believes in and shapes their history as well as how they roleplay situations that threaten various beliefs. The noble warrior, for instance, will often be considered lawful good. These ideals help define character alignment, which defines how other PCs and NPCs view the character. Common archetypes are the noble warrior (Aragorn, Steve Rogers, She-ra), loose cannon (Jinx, Harley Quinn), and morally grey (Geralt of Rivia, Sabrina Spellman). They can include ideas like Generosity or Greed, Respect or Might, Tradition or Freedom. Idealsĭ&D ideals are beliefs that drive a character. While this doesn’t have the fine granularity of the previously mentioned D&D personality traits, it gives an overarching impression of how a character would act in many different situations. *Touches necklace* My mother used to choose personality traits that tied into a character’s backstory… You can also choose one or two personality traits that tie into a character’s backstory and offer a general impression of how they will act. Combining several of them creates a multidimensional character with different facets to their personality. They can be as minor as “I love a good cup of tea” or enough to define your entire character. Common examples are Type-A/hyper-organized (Monica Geller, Amy Santiago, Leslie Knope), Deadpan/monotone (Drax the Destroyer, Ron Swanson), and Goofball (Andy Dwyer, Phillip J. When you put thought into these details, your character gets unique D&D ideals and bonds that set the stage for limitless opportunities when gameplay starts.ĭ&D personality traits are unique and quirky traits that define how your character behaves day to day. Otherwise, you may end up like the last season of Game of Thrones. When you set out on your campaign, you’d be wise to follow these standards. A D&D character is defined by 4 things: personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws.
