The FLASH

   If you are new to the game of Dungeons and Dragons, it is important to know how to make a character. It is also important to talk to your Dungeon Master (DM) to see if there are any race restrictions or additional classes that are allowed (some D&D classes are unofficial, having been written but not published in books). The DM or another more experienced player is a good person to talk to for help when you create your character.

It’s not a bad idea to make a character based off of a person from a movie that you’ve watched or a book you’ve read. For example, you could make a halfling rogue if you wanted to make a character like Frodo Baggins from “The Lord of the Rings,” or you could build a human battle master to be the D&D equivalence of Obi-Wan Kenobi from “Star Wars.”

   If you want to make a completely customized character, a good place to start is what race you want it to be. Humans are versatile, balanced in skills and special abilities. Races like dwarves and half-orcs are usually better as heavily armored warriors, whereas elves and halflings are better as stealthy or fast characters, relying on speed over strength. Different races have different skills, ranging from athletics, to nature, to animal handling; skills help decide the outcome of actions (for example, you would make a Nature Skill Check to see if you can identify an animal or plant). Feats are also different between races; feats are special abilities that can range from resistance to damage to the ability to see in the dark. There are also subraces for some races which allow more flexibility in making your character.

   A next good step is picking your class. Do you prefer being a frontline warrior, or do you prefer supporting your allies, giving them extra defenses and healing? Or do you instead deal with obstacles with a great variety of skills and don’t do much fighting at all? There is no wrong way to make a character, but you can see that certain classes combine well with certain races (for example, a dragonborn paladin or a wood elf rogue). There are also subclasses for each class, allowing for even more options for what you want your character to become. As an example, within the fighter class, there are six different subclasses: the champion, the battle master, the eldritch knight, the arcane archer, the cavalier, and the samurai.

   An important part of your character is his background: what was he before he became what he is now, and why did he change? This is a very flexible part of your character development. Although not everyone puts much effort into it, some write an entire story of who and what their characters were in the past. Some DMs like in-depth backstories, and some even encourage it. Going in-depth isn’t required, but it is another way of making a unique character. If you’re worried about clashing with the campaign story, it’s a safe idea to talk to the DM about your background and see how it fits in the setting of the campaign.

The next stop on making your character is his alignment. Does he obey the law and help put down evil out of kindness? Or is your character more mercenary, helping only for reward? Or is your character a pure anarchist, taking no responsibility for his actions? Alignments don’t entirely control how your character acts but are still needed; some campaigns have effects or items that are limited to people of a certain alignment. Alignments go from good to neutral to evil and from lawful to neutral to chaotic.

   Finally, to finish building your character, write out a description about him: his name, physical description, and personal quirks (if any). Physical descriptions can be found in the player’s books as well as sample names for different races.

Every character starts at level one, but DMs may start their campaigns at higher levels so the characters are better matched with the encounters. Characters have starting equipment which they begin with, but they can buy and trade out loot with whatever money they have. Further into campaigns, magic or unique items may be available to your character, whether purchased from a shop or found as treasure from searching in your adventure. All characters gain more hit points at higher levels as well as additional feats that may not be unlocked until a certain level. All characters also know a set of languages that can be known by your race or through your class.

   This is a summarized sample of how to build your character, not the only acceptable method. The two most important things to remember when you’re making it a character are to follow any boundaries set by your DM (race or class restrictions, beginning level) and to have fun when you make it and when you play it. If you are new to D&D and would like to join a group, just find a DM and talk to him or her about joining. Newcomers are more than welcome.