Are you getting good histories from your players? Do you even require a character background?

In my group, we've been a bit lax, but I may have them get me the names of a couple "people and event from their past." What are you all doing on this issue?

jh

I got my players to write up their own histories before the new WFRP3 campaign started; you can read them here.

The great thing, the back stories manage to weave themselves into the game as you go with very little effort. For example, Torus is searching for his father (the player's long-term character in our WFRP1 and WFRP2 games), who he hates because he abandoned Torus as a child - hence Torus's first career of Bounty Hunter. He's recently advanced to Assassin, and in a recent game, he did something extremely unpleasant (I won't go into it, but it involved a case of Green Pox and a defenseless prisoner) and, after a bum roll, he acquired 2 Corruption.

It's obvious then that, unlike his irresponsible and yet cheerful charlatan and rogue of a father, Torus is slipping towards the 'dark side' and, ironically, becoming worse than the father he blames. It all fits together really nicely.

In other words, I suggest letting your players invent their backstory, however brief. Then, as you play, both you and your players will discover numerous opportunities to further develop the character stories as you play - with just a bit of imagination. Which - let's face it - if you're playing WFRP you shouldn't be lacking in!

I encourage backgrounds but don't require them. There is a clear understanding that "as you give so shall you receive" in terms of seeing the campaign "play" to your personal story etc.

Of four players (sniff sniff, still miss player 5 who dropped out due to life demands, great player):

- Two have given detailed histories of their childhoods and events therein, events up to "appearance on stage" that are fun and have provided much grist for game and shall continue to. By detailed I mean a page or so. I don't really want an essay, a few threads to pull on is fine.

- One has provided just a little itty bit, but adds a bit more and is pretty good about "doing it at the table" (e.g., I let him spend a fortune point to establish a backstory event relative to current adventure).

- 4th has not provided anything. I know he has some ideas and has had them for a bit, but he's not had time/motivation to write them up and post them on our internal message board. He's playing a wood elf and new to setting so was unsure at first (I loaned him the wood elf army book for some background).

It's a bit after-the-fact, but I try to set up situations where an NPC requests a story about the character's history. If the player bites and starts telling a story about his character's background, I do a round and allow(demand) each other player at the table ask a question of the character on behalf of the npc. It creates its own sort of challenge and allows for the active player to establish his back story, and share it with the group in a way that includes everyone. As a DM, I get to sit back (and take copious notes) for the duration of the exchange and to plan something to reward good RP.

No. I really struggled with this. Everyone in my group is just so darned busy with their (RL) careers that assigning "homework" felt onerous to everyone, unfortunately. On the other hand, they were more than happy to have me throw something random at them (like, "Hey! You knew this guy in school!") and then they'd just improv off of that.

No. I've found that requiring elaborate backstories is really the long way of obtaining character beliefs/desires/fears/drives/secrets/etc. I just ask for those directly now. Everything else is just adding homework.

I always do.

I put up the standard 10 questions for characters, have the players read these over, so they're fresh in the players' minds, and then have them come up with a backstory (few paragraphes, never more than a sheet of paper).

In fact, I usually do this first, and then go over the backstory with them, assigning career/characteristics/talents/wealth/gear/... etc based on what would be a good fit.

So far, my grey wizard apprentice is on the run from the killers of former mentor, and has managed to disguise herself adequately. My coachman has had his face slapped a few times by a spurned former lover, and been roughed up by 2 former childhood bullies (bouncers of Magpie) after stumbling into them when drunk. My scout has had a memorable encounter with a witch hunter, since she can talk to animals.

Finally, the Ulrician Initiate is slowly tracking down a childhood 'sweetheart', who is on the threshold of falling to the influence of Khaine.

I like to make sure they are playing a character, and not numbers. So the numbers come last when a new character sees the light of day