D&D Digest | Making Your Character Prosper

Making Your Character Prosper

So you want to know the secret to having a character survive through an entire campaign? You want the ultimate character build that will ensure you won't have to roll up a new set of ability scores any time soon? You want to be able to see your character, in the immortal words of Spock, live long and prosper?

Here's the secret:

Make your Dungeon Master love your character.

It's that simple. A DM is not a computer -- it is impossible for a human being to be completely objective and unbiased. Use that to your advantage.

How do you make your DM love your character? Well, it may vary slightly from DM to DM, but the following points should hold true for just about anyone:

Don't make your character annoying. Although you may find it amusing, consider this: how badly did you want to kill off Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode 1?
Don't make your character detestable. Fans of the TV series House know how funny it can be to have one character act like a jerk to the others, but the players' whose characters are being victimized won't be laughing. The DM has to keep everyone's fun level in mind -- making the other players hate your character won't help make your DM like him.
Don't make your character a cliché. Maybe you've always wanted to run that dual-sword-wielding Good-aligned drow, or that self-righteous religious zealot paladin, but familiarity breeds contempt. So, unless you can bring something new to these tired stereotypes, your DM will find your character boring and forgettable.

Do tie your character into the gameworld. When coming up with a character background, work with your DM to involve towns and places from his gameworld, then find ways to bring that up in-game. When roleplaying, try to pick up on expressions, customs, traditions, blessings, etc. that are used in the gameworld, and use them as appropriate. Not only will you find yourself more fully immersed in the game, your DM will appreciate that your character is meshing into his gameworld instead of sticking out like a sore thumb.
Do involve your character in the campaign's plot. Forge connections with important NPCs, show active interest in advancing the plot, and if possible (and if your DM allows it), find ways to intertwine your character's past, present and future with the storyline. If the loss of your character will result in a serious loss to the DM's plot, or even require some rewriting of the plot, your DM will be far more reluctant to kill him off.
Do make your character memorable. This can be best accomplished through good roleplaying of unique traits. Think back on the characters your friends have played -- which were the most memorable to you? Why were they memorable? Likely there are a couple unique traits that stand out in your memory.

It's simple advice, but it'll do a better job of protecting your character than any suit of +5 armor. Depending on your DM, your character may be less prone to death, or more easily (and cheaply) resurrected. Whatever the case may be, a DM would be loathe to permantly kill off a character he loves.