Deep Character Dive

Does your character feel flat? Are you having a hard time visualizing what your character feels or would do in a certain situation? Just want to liven up the character to make the table more alive? - Then try to step into the shoes of your character and answer some of the following questions:

* What is something the party doesn’t know about your character?
* Where in the world does your character most want to visit?
* What is something your character regrets - present or past?
* Describe the last time your character had a really good laugh.
* Describe your characters most recent nightmare.
* Everyone has a guilty pleasure, what’s yours?
* Describe your characters perfect afternoon.
* What is something your character is trying to improve about themselves?
* Everyone has a nickname. What’s yours? Who calls you that? What do you think about it?
* What does your character hope for the afterlife?
* Describe a childhood friend.
* Describe a childhood rival or enemy.
* When was the last time your character felt like they lost control? What happened?
* The quest is over, and you have downtime. What does your character do when apart from the party?
* Describe a moment when your character felt vulnerable.
* Who does your character look up to?
* Who does your character revile?
* Describe an irrational fear your character might have. Do they show it?
* What interests your character outside of battle? Any hobbies? Do others know?
* Describe a moment where you felt like a hero.
* Describe a moment where you felt like a villain. Do you regret it?
* If your character wasn’t an adventurer, what livelihood would they lead?
* Who in the party would your character trust the most and why?
* What are your character’s core moral beliefs?
* What relationship does your character have with their parents and siblings?
* Does your character have any biases for or against certain races?
* What is your character’s opinion on nobility? On authority?
* Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc.
* What location encountered in the campaign has your character felt the most “at home” in, or just generally liked the most?
* What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship?
* If your character had time to pick up any artisan’s tools, game set, instrument, etc., what would it be?
* Describe your character’s current relationship with the player character sitting to your right.
* What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence?
* Does your character ever want to “settle down” with a spouse, children, house, etc.?
* Has your character ever been in love?
* What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character?
* If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead?
* What is your character’s favorite season? Why?
* What would your character’s Zodiac sign be, following stereotypical astrology?
* What is the biggest mistake your character has ever made?
* Does your character have any noticeable scars? If so, what are their stories?
* What animal best represents your character?
* If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be?
* Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with?
* Does your character regret any particular choice the party has made?
* What would your character say their best trait would be?
* What is your character’s greatest fear? Deep, irrational?
* What is currently motivating your character to stay with the party?
* What are your character’s hobbies and interests outside of their class?
* What would most people think when they first see your character?
* What stereotypical group role does your character play in the party? (The Mom, the Mess, the Comic Relief, etc. Optionally: What role would your character play in the “Five Man Band” structure?)
* What is your character the most insecure about?
* What person does your character admire most?
* What does your character admire and dislike the most about the player character sitting to your left?
* Why is your character’s lowest stat their lowest (the in-character reason, not “because there’s no reason for a wizard to have 16 strength, duh”)?
* What would be your character’s theme song/favorite band/favorite genre of music?
* What stereotypical role would your character play in a high school AU/if they attended a normal high school? (Nerd, jock, bully, goth, etc.)
* What treasure/item/artifact that your character has collected during the adventure is the most important to them?
* Is there any particular weapon, item, etc. that your character longs to find?
* Where does your character feel the most at home?
* Does your character care about how they’re perceived by others? How do they change themselves to fit in with other people?
* What does your character think is the true meaning of life?
* What is your character’s scent? (Bonus points for a description that sounds like it could be from a bad [or awesome] fanfic.)
* Does your character think more with their heart or their brain?
* What is your character’s most recent or frequent nightmare?
* How did your character spend their childhood? Where did they grow up/who were their childhood friends?
* What aspect of your character’s future are they most curious about? (If they could know one thing about the future, what would it be?)

* What colors are associated with your character?
* Who in the party would your character prioritize rescuing, in dire circumstances?
* Is your character the most swayed by ethos, pathos, or logos?
* If your character was granted a single use of Wish, what would they use it for?
* What is your character’s favorite spell? If they don’t use spells: what is their favorite personal weapon/combat maneuver/skill/etc.?
* How does your character feel about keeping secrets from the rest of the party?
* What type of creature in the world is your character the most intrigued by?
* When they were a child, what did your character want to be, or think they were going to be, when they grew up?
* The player character to your left admits that they’re passionately in love with your character. How would your character respond?
* If somebody (an NPC, someone from their backstory, etc.) your character trusts/loves asked your character to do something against the party’s best interest, who would they side with?
* Does your character value their own best interest more than the party’s?
* What decision would the party have to make in order for your character to consider splitting off from the group?
* How does your character imagine the way they will die?
* What is your character’s greatest achievement?
* Is your character willing to risk the well-being of others in order to achieve their goal?
* What is your character’s opinion on killing others?
* What is your character’s favorite food? Beverage?
* How generous is your character? Especially to those they don’t know?
* What is your character the most envious about, regarding anyone in the party?
* The player character to your left and the player character to your right are both telling your character two different versions of the truth. Who does your character believe?

* What is your character’s sexuality/relationship with sex?
* What is your character’s biggest pet peeve?
* Describe how your character feels about the party’s current situation/objective/etc.
* Who in the party would your character trust the most to keep an important secret?
* If your character knew that they were going to die in a month, how would they spend the rest of their life?
* What makes your character feel safe?
* If your character had the chance to rename the party/give the party a name, no questions asked, what would it be?
* What memory does your character want to forget the most?
* If your character had to multiclass into a class they currently aren’t the next time they level up, what would it be and what reason would they have for doing so?

* What television/book/video game/etc. character would your character be best friends with? (Or: what media character is your character the most influenced by/similar to?

* What unusual talents does your character possess?
* How does your character feel about receiving/giving orders? Are they more of a leader, or a follower?
* What does your character’s name represent to them? (Or: why as a player did you choose your character’s name?)
* Is your character more of an introvert, or an extrovert?
* How far is your character willing to go to pursue the “greater good”? Do they believe in a greater good at all?
* What does your character want to be remembered by?
* What would be your character’s major in college?
* Does your character consider themselves a hero, villain, or something else?
* What major arcana tarot card best represents your character?
* Where does your character see themselves in 20 years?
* What is your character’s relationship with magic? Are they scared of it, wish to know more about it, indifferent to it?
* What is your character’s guiltiest pleasure?
* Who in the party does your character trust the least?
* What is your character’s biggest flaw?
* How did your character learn the languages that they speak?
* What is your character’s favorite school of magic/type of weaponry?
* What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness?
* What advice would your character give to a younger version of themselves?
* Are there any social or political issues your character feels strongly about?
* What, currently, is your character the most curious about?