What must you know about your game character in order to play a RPG?

Are just the stats enough to get started or do you need a multipage background with established relationships?

Name, stats, and probably place of origin.

A vague background is optional - but I actually dislike the effect of writing up a detailed backstory pre-campaign, both as player & GM. Either it just gets ignored (more likely) or you're trying to strongarm the GM into incorporating it into the game.

I think that the deepest backstory I ever started a campaign with was a samurai whose family had been disgraced due to his father being tricked by illusion/enchantment into doing something bad. It was mostly a justification for a samurai traveler away from his clan and for his combat style - which largely involved knocking people out (had mechanical advantage doing non-lethal), having magical allies check if they were enchanted, and then slitting their throats if not.

Which - the above is pretty dang generic. My GM did have my family's steward show up with my ancestral blade and help the group with business dealings - but that was largely because he wanted an excuse for an NPC to show up to help with business dealings while we were out adventuring. He was not part of my backstory beforehand.

Minimum stats to get started playing and a name.  I could even start without the name in a pinch, but I'm terrible at making up names on the fly.  So that could be risky, depending on the other players' propensity for nicknames.

how do I delete a duplicate post? >.<

Quote from: Greentongue on April 20, 2021, 06:48:08 AM
What must you know about your game character in order to play a RPG?

Game Stats including specific abilities resulting from class/profession/race.

Possibly:
A name, but only if it would be important as a plot hook or device for the adventure.
Starting equipment if diving straight into an "up-time" adventure session.

The absolute minimum is a game system (so I know what to roll when I try something) and a vague description of my character. There was a Cthulhu scenario called In Media Res where you played an amnesiac. You had a description (Age, height, weight, etc) and that was it. If you tried anything, the GM knew your skill. And it worked.
So that is the minimum you need.
The minimum I like is stats, skills, class and a vague idea of how the character fits into the game/world/scenario. I can come up with a name if necessary.

Beside the usual stuff, a sketched background and an idea of his/her psychology and cultural background.

The importance of the latter is, IMHO, underestimated. Let's consider the classic 3/3.5E "problem": system mastery, playing the rules, "builds" etc. All of this simply doesn't work the moment you grow organically your character through role-playing. For what I care, Monte Cook can write "The best weapon for a 1st level Fighter is a longsword" in small diamonds on a gold plate - but if your fighter is a human orphan saved and raised by a grizzled battleaxe-waving barbarian it is very possible that he will inherit that battleaxe, along with weapon spec (because that is what he learned in his formative years).

Psychology, background and cultural milieu, joined with role-playing, are the key that destroys "system mastery". Builds, rules loopholes and other examples of this specific brand of stupidity can only happen in a vacuum - not in a coherent imaginary world where you grow your character organically through sincere role-playing.

I need 5 reasons why he'd bother with getting involved and I'll figure out the rest as I go.

A three book series of a tragic tale of woe about how my level 1 character became an epic hero, and a ten page synopsis to handout to my DM, who must then sign it as a contract, legally binding him from straying from that path. 


Ackshually, I just need the basic amount of stat info needed to play that game (not even all the bells and whistles--that can come later--just the essentials and minimum gear) and a general idea of what kind of character I'm playing and the type of world we're playing in.

You know the old adage, "no plan survives contact with the enemy"? That's the problem with too much background. Unlike an author of a novel, the world in a which a character exists isn't the sole creation of the author. That means there are independent rules, there will always be clashes of expectations, and unexpected things will happen.

That's why character backgrounds should be somewhat fluid, at the start. The best characters aren't set in stone before the game starts, they're emergent. They're created by the player's intent, but also by how they react to the other PCs and the world, and by the rules that constrain and channel their actions. That creates a better character, because it's adapted to and integrated with the world, the other PCs, and the game system; instead of just existing alone and inviolate in the player's head.

Quote from: VisionStorm on April 20, 2021, 09:33:13 AM
A three book series of a tragic tale of woe about how my level 1 character became an epic hero, and a ten page synopsis to handout to my DM, who must then sign it as a contract, legally binding him from straying from that path. 


Ackshually, I just need the basic amount of stat info needed to play that game (not even all the bells and whistles--that can come later--just the essentials and minimum gear) and a general idea of what kind of character I'm playing and the type of world we're playing in.

Greetings!

*laughing* So funny, VisionStorm! Good stuff. I'm the same way. Name, class, stats, a place where I'm from, a basic idea of the surrounding area and culture. A few skills. Good to go.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Name, Race, 6 Attributes, any occupational background or skills possessed, and what type or genre of game are we playing.  And Coffee.  I must have Coffee.

Quote from: Charon's Little Helper on April 20, 2021, 07:32:37 AMA vague background is optional - but I actually dislike the effect of writing up a detailed backstory pre-campaign, both as player & GM. Either it just gets ignored (more likely) or you're trying to strongarm the GM into incorporating it into the game.

I agree with this. Too much background will force a player to "act  like my character" rather than act the way seems logical at the moment. I had a player the other day who had something bad happen to him and said, "my character would be taking time to deal with this," which translates into "I'm having a hissy and want to sulk for a while."

In the old days we created "background" through play. We might start with a vague concept and then add in details as the character evolves.

Quote from: Greentongue on April 20, 2021, 06:48:08 AM
What must you know about your game character in order to play a RPG?

+1 Sword.

Game mechanics and a pretty good grasp of his personal values, meaning how he makes decisions.