My players easily come up with traits like "I'm great with a gun" and "I never lose a fistfight" but they get stuck when it comes to thinking of traits that are more about personality or story or character background.
So we've decided that we'll try a session where we'll create characters by drawing traits at random, on slips of paper or something, just so they can get a feel for playing with characters that have more varied and interesting "non-combat" traits. But of course, that still requires coming up with ideas for interesting traits in order to draw them at random.
So has anyone here ever made a list of example traits?
Or would anyone that has a few old dog characters lying around like to contribute their trait ideas, so a list could be compiled?
(I know some people are going to say "you don't need examples, just force them to think of something" but I've tried, and these players just aren't good at it. I'm hoping that once they see how different traits can be brought into play, they'll have less trouble coming up with their own traits when they create a new character.)
Thanks.
Casual:
Everyone likes me
No one notices me
I'm very attached to my hat
Can quote freely from the book of life
Problematic:
I've died once before
I don't believe in God
I smoke
I'm not a virgin
Illiterate
I never flinch or hesitate
Traits from my own play that were memorable:
I sin so others don't have to.
Cynic in the face of youthful idealism
Things were better in Goblin Valley.
I watched all my younger sisters get married. (Note: PC was a female).
I have never reconciled using violence to do The King of Life's will.
Jesse
My favorite from my player-character, Brother Newton:
"My hat stays on"
It's pretty surprising how often that factored into conflicts without having to stretch or shoehorn it.
Best, Ron
These are some great examples! Thank you!
Here's some from 2 session that I ran at a Con recently (http://www.vorpalcon.com/forum2/index.php?topic=148.0 for the whoel thing)
I know my bible
Mine is not to judge
The value of mercy
That shooter don't scare me
I find the lost ones
Learnt that from Poppa
Don't let the darkness in
You'd be surprised what you can learn from books
People are stronger than you'd think
Likes walking in the forest
Often took care of the cows
Voices in my head
Is beauty there to trick us?
Unflinching Gaze
My word is law
I cannot always bring peace
Chris
I have only killed in anger
I used to be a stripper
Bored with white men's tales
You remind me of my pa.
(This one was very scary in play. Look out.)
My all time Favorite:
I preach from the Book of 6 Chapters
also
Today's Lesson will be from the Book of Smith & Wesson, Chapter 44 verses 1 through 6.
My favorite one is "My face burnt", in conjunction with "No-one should feel sorry for me". We used these on one of our premade Dog PC's in a con game. They were pregenerated traitwise, but they didn't have a name, gender or accomplishment. One of the players that picked the Dog with the burnt face also got the trait "I watched my baby sister die" from his accomplishment, which also explained his burnt face. Good stuff.
Another premade Dog had the traits "I'm just as good as the young dogs" and "I'm relaxing with my pipe". I'm really happy with all of these.
Quote from: Chris Crouch on November 16, 2007, 12:13:17 AMPeople are stronger than you'd think
Wow, I'd love to hear how this turned out in play.
My six year old daughter helped me create some pre-gens for a recent con.
I'd ask her what the character was like, or what they could do and then modify her answers a bit. Got some good one's like
I can doctor some
I'm Good with children
I like animals
I like to read
Last Saturday, in a new Dogs game, my new character acquired two traits as a result of initiation, using the initiation trait, experience fallout and long term fallout:
"That was humbling" and
I should be a better teacher
Charles
I don't want them to repent
I'm the new Anointed High Prophet and Ancient (even if the others [or even I?] don't know it yet)
Things are true because I believe in them
I believe in things because they are true
I leave a trail of broken hearts
I'm pregnant
It's us versus them
I dream dreams and see visions
Whatever curses I speak come true
I only hit her because I love her
I spent lots of time gossiping at the quilting circle
That mountain person didn't poison our well
I cen't ever forgive Ma
I won't use a weapon on a human.
Violence is never the solution.
Sh!t happens (I love that one)
Avoids fights
In CDR's zombies game - Runs like a girl (for a hysterical girly-girl, good for chase scenes and good for the type of PC everyone wants to see dead!)
Quote from: Arvidos on November 18, 2007, 08:52:53 AM
Quote from: Chris Crouch on November 16, 2007, 12:13:17 AMPeople are stronger than you'd think
Wow, I'd love to hear how this turned out in play.
Your wish is my command.
I know this is a bit behind the times, but I've been browsing the forum before running DitV tomorrow, just to get my head in the right game, and I came across this. That was my character - that trait and the others with it (from "That shooter don't scare me" down to that one.)
It was the trait Brother Elwood gained from his accomplishment conflict. Brother Elwood wanted to gain his mother's blessing for his leaving to become a Dog. See, Brother Elwood's father had died a number of years before - violently, though, we didn't state the specifics of the matter. (There were a bunch of subtle clues written into Elwood.) He had been taken away to the Dogs' Temple as much because leaving him in the toxic environment of his original home would destroy his potential as for any other reason, and the Dog who took him figured Elwood would either make a good Dog, or do nobody any good anywhere. But his mother was afraid of losing him forever, and wanted him to refuse to take up his coat and leave on his first journey. It was a point of contention between them, despite the honour associated with being a Dog.
Elwood visited his mother before leaving, because he didn't want to leave with the issue hanging between them. They argued- "How can you leave your sister like that?" "She's better on the farm than I ever was." "You father would turn in his grave." "He'd be happy for me, the way everyone else is. Don't you understand how much this means to me?" "If you loved us, you'd stay." "You know I love you, and I'll be back when I can." (Not verbatim, I don't remember the specifics. You get the idea though.)
And then suddenly, she gave. "Yeah, you're right boy. I know you've gotta do this. Give me your promise that you'll be back." "Sure, Momma. I swear it." "I love you, Elwood. Now go on, you've gotta ride." And I was flabbergasted. I hadn't realised that I had been pulling ahead in the conflict, and her sudden turnaround shocked me.
So when Chris asked me what my new trait was, I said, "People are stronger than you'd think." Because Elwood's mother hadn't been beaten, she had just shown how strong she really was, and it surprised Brother Elwood. His hoped-for accomplishment was to leave on good terms, but he actually grew in another direction.
During the game, I think the trait only got used once... I think it was during an exorcism, when I called on the possessed person to throw out the demon. (Frickin' demon damn near killed poor Elwood. He's a Dog with 1d6 body now.)
I'd love to get a chance to play Elwood again. That was a cool game.
A couple of traits off the top of my head (with no real setting at heart)
"I do bad things because they must be done"
"I feel like a lion born to fight in the field, but kept behind bars at the zoo like a relic."
"A horse a horse, my kingdom for a horse"
"I am a leaf on the wind"
"I'll save one bullet for myself"
"When the tough gets going i tend to follow"
"Good? Bad? I'm the guy with the gun"
"The more kicks to the face, The more answers i get."