Motivation

Motivation is the most important part of character design. According to Wikipedia, motivation is the set of reasons that determines one to engage in a particular behavior. In a role-playing game, motivation is an extremely useful tool that creates the basis for playing a character.

For our purposes, I will identify three major types of motivation: static or dynamic motivation, experiences, and preconceptions.

Static or Dynamic

Motivation can be either static or dynamic.

Static Motivation

Static motivation is unchanging, a facet of your character that is unlikely to be influenced by the events of the campaign. Other ways to describe these motivations include objective motivations and proactive motivations. For example, Paron Andris, a follower of Torm, is unlikely to be motivated to do evil deeds except in the most extreme circumstances, and even if he gives in to the temptation he's likely to throw himself before his god and beg forgiveness, going out of his way to seek redemption.

Dynamic Motivation

Dynamic motivation is based on the events of the campaign as they unfold, and can change over time, or within a short period due to a startling revelation. Other ways to describe these motivations are subjective motivations and reactive motivations. For example, Respen Tuin is a wave-man, going where the wind takes him. He is unlikely to be motivated by the plight of frontier settlers—until it's revealed that the settlers have stumbled upon a vein of gold ore!

Experiences

A character's experiences in the past shape who he is today. Additionally, the things he wants to experience in the future are just as much a part of him.

Past experience, also called backstory, can be an important tool in defining a character. The milestones your character faced in his past echo through his actions in the present. For example, Thulsa Doomhammer, betrayed by his peers in the courts of Mulhorand, is ever-watchful and careful when making decisions. Trust may be an issue for a character such as this.

Preconceptions

Preconceptions that define a character largely relate to in-game concepts, such as race or class. Though these preconceptions are rarely primary motivations (except in the case of some sort of bigot), they are rather used to pepper interactions with other player characters and non-player characters.

What's My Motivation?

You've often heard character actors ask this question. Despite actors being liberal fags, the question is extremely valid. Since you are not your character, it can be difficult to set aside your own values and supplant them with those of your character. When faced with an important decision, it may be best to take a step back, and think "What would Qawm do? How does Qawm feel differently about this situation from Dave?" By thinking about even mundane in-game situations as your character, you're presented with an entirely new outlook on a situation.

Determining Your Motivation

Even if all of the above information is valid, you first have to determine your character's motivation. At the highest level, you know all about your character. That's an excellent start, but let's take it further. He wants to assist his cousin recover a mentor's airship. Why? Is it out of some Confucian sense of filial piety? If so, how does family affect other aspects of Zharreth's life? Does he seek the airship for personal glory? Does he just want to fly in an airship?

Dustin's Role-Playing Trick!

A trick I use to determine how a character acts is very simple for you to replicate. The majority of a character's sheet is devoted to combat, but this has little bearing on role-playing. However, a lovely box in the bottom left corner is full of opportunity for finding your motivation. Skills! Using your skills as a guide, you can turn any sheet of paper into a living, breathing person.

The skills you have trained tell you something important about your character. These are things he deemed worthy of learning in his 20-120 years of life. When you consider the interaction of these skills with one another, you can paint a picture of how that character acts.

For example, Ivellios Thornblade has:

  • a high Dexterity
  • a low Intelligence
  • trained Athletics
  • trained Perception
  • only one knowledge skill
  • the best Initiative modifier

If I were going to role-play a character such as this, I may use clues like these to envision a character who trusts his awareness and physical prowess to see him through a situation. I would make snap decisions, always act sure of success, and trust to my ability to improvise to see me through any conflict. In conversation, this would probably make me very decisive, and even a bit smug.

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