One of the best ways to improve your roleplaying skills in D&D is by creating a better character background. Creating a better D&D character background will give you, and your Dungeon Master, more opportunities and character hooks for roleplaying. Here are a few tips on how to create a better D&D character background by using easy to create plots hooks and personality traits.

Choose one thing that your character will die for. This is a focal point to the character. It could be any attack on a religious member of his church causes him to go into a blind rage against the attacker. Or maybe he is fighting to save his people from an evil overlord. Anything that will help his people or hurt the evil overlord is good enough for him to die for.

Choose three things that your character will always fight for. He may not fight to the death over them, but he will definitely throw blows under almost any circumstance when the opportunity presents itself under one of the three listed circumstances. Maybe he hates it when people insult his family members. Or, maybe he cannot walk by an orc without attacking it.

Choose one thing that your character absolutely fears. This fear is something that will drastically alter how you play the character when he encounters this fear. It could be that the character has a fear of the open sea and will absolutely not travel on boats. Or, maybe he has a fear of fighting in high areas, like on a large bridge or in an open tower.

Pick one characteristic that defines your character to other people. This characteristic is what NPCs or other players usually refer to your character as being. “Yeah that Fighter, he’s crazy.” A crazy fighter could be someone that fights in a completely unpredictable matter. Perhaps there is method to his madness, but if there is only he apparently knows what it may be.

Create one additional character that is important and somehow related to your character. This could be a meddling uncle that always seems to show up in your business at inconvenient times. Or, it could be a childhood enemy that has followed you much of your life. He’s often poked fun at you when you’re down, but has also shown an act of heroism on random occasions which leads you to wonder if he’s really good, or really bad.

With these seven different characteristics, then one thing that you would die for under any circumstances, picking three reasons you will always fight for, and one thing that you are deathly afraid of, and one characteristic that defines your character personality to other players and NPCs, and designed one character that is important to you, you’ve instantly created a good start for a D&D character background. It includes your personality and helps with your character’s play style. Answering these questions increases the chance for fun and dramatic roleplaying opportunities, without spending hours and hours writing a huge D&D character background.

Espen writes articles about Role Playing and DnD Character information.

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