Don't let your Character be a Cliche
Your first session starts in 30 minutes, and you haven't made your character yet. In a panic, you roll your stats, pick your race, and decide on a class. Then you remember the DM asked for a background so they could plan out the campaign. Out of time, you quickly jot down the first background that comes to mind.
Rafael grew up alone on the street. After seeing his parents murdered in front of his eyes by an ancient vampire, he vowed revenge. Spending his formative years training for the envitable showdown between him and the unholy creature, he was moody and rude to all that crossed his path. Anyone he meets either needs to help him on his righteous quest for vengenance or get out of the way.
Congratulations! You just created the most hackneyed backstory imaginable. You didn't mean to do it, but when you can't come up with anything, it's easy to fall back on a tired and stale background and just run with it. It doesn't have to be this way, no matter what your time constraints are. There is nothing wrong with incorporating one of the overused backstories into your character's history, but why not turn it on its head and make it your own.
Before you can do this, you have to take a hard look at the background you want to use, so you know what pitfalls to avoid. Below we take a look at three of the most worn-out backstories/backgrounds there are. Don't fret because we have some suggestions on how to twist them into something a bit different.
Death to all Parental Figures
Why is it that all parents, mentors, or anyone that showed you some modicum of kindness always ends up dead in most backstories? I know that's a gross overstatement, but let's be honest…everyone has used that tired old trope with at least one of their characters. It's the easiest way to generate a sense of righteous anger towards a person, organization, or even an entire race of people, which many players believe helps the DM create a storyline that focuses on their character. Let me tell you right now that every DM will roll their eyes when they read your background and see that your parents died a tragic death at the hands of some evil enemy. It makes one wonder how many people, in real life, genuinely have horrible relationships with their parents and secretly wish they were dead.
Stop being mean to the people that brought you into this world. If you insist on having an orphan background, you can do it without slaughtering your parents. Life is hard in many a fantasy setting, so maybe they had to give you away because they couldn't feed you. It could be your character's fault, as you got mad for being disciplined, ran away, got lost, and suddenly found yourself on your own. So many backgrounds lend themselves to parents being alive to help guide and train you in the skills you learned via your environment. Who taught you how to use that sword and is proud to see you march off to war? Your dad or mom, of course! Your character had to learn the value of trade and management skills from someone before they started running the guild, so why not have ma and pa still be alive so the character can get advice from them when they don't know what to do. Blacksmiths, tailors, artisans of all types need to learn their trade from someone. Parents are the logical person that does that, so instead of paying them back for all their love and hard work by killing them off, let them live! They can still be a significant plot point for your character, and maybe you'll find some sort of resolution with them so that you don't have to spend years and lots of gold working on your mommy issues.
Dark and Brooding
Every table has one. The Edgelord. A character whose attitude and personality make them seem cool by being harsh and dark. There is nothing inherently wrong with a character being an edgelord, but it's so freaking cliche. They are the needlessly brooding character who is continuously gloomy since some tragic event caused their entire existence. An edgelord seeks revenge for said event, dresses like an 80's goth highschooler, and represses their emotions so well Batman would be in awe, that is, if Batman ever showed any emotion. A player who can admit that their character is melodramatic and blatantly trying to be edgy makes it a lot easier to deal with. Playing the role is a subdued manner may produce just the right amount of edginess. But the player who is always trying to be over the top cool in every situation gets annoying fast.
None of this is to say that you cannot build an excellent edgelord character. Every edgelord needs a few things to play the role effectively. First, there is the heinous act committed against the character. The standard action that defined who they are is murder. That, of course, means someone has to die. This situation plays directly into the dead parental units we just spoke of, but anyone who the character loved will do. A sibling, mentor, wife, or husband all work as the victim, and all have been overdone. Finally, there needs to be our edglord's BBEG. This antagonist can be anyone or anything, from a mysterious secret cult to an ancient red dragon. No matter who or what they are, the perpetrator has to be hard to find and hard to get to.
The Black Sheep
Your dad is the king or some other type of nobility with a fancy title. Your character just has to be a rebellious, but loveable character. Welp, you inevitably do something so stupid good ol' dad kicks you out of the castle, strips you of your title, and vows never to speak to you again. Now your character spends the entire campaign either trying to get back in his good graces or plots to kill/overthrow him since he is a crappy king, and everyone hates him.
By taking on this background, you are almost demanding that the main story arc is all about you. Wearing the crown, no matter how you obtain it, is a significant undertaking. Even the edgelord doesn't command that much of the storyline! How hard is it to embrace the role of an outcast? You don't have to change who your character truly is. Getting back into the king's good graces requires you to be contrite, apologetic, or humble, and that's not their style. If it were, they'd still be heir to the throne. Killing your dad, even if he is a horrible human being, is even harder to think about. Patricide requires you to go to a dark place. It's not a task for the faint of heart.
The common theme for this character is the happy go lucky type, who uses humor as a deflecting tool to hide the sadness the resides in their heart. Move on, forget the king, and live your best life. Be the person people want to be around, and confide in your comrades the painful tale of your exile over the campfire one night. Don't be the one that leads them to their deaths against overwhelming odds just because you have daddy issues.
Whether you are an orphan, an outcast, or an edgelord, there is no reason to be ordinary or boring. Take a second, think about what you want your character to be, and won't the party be surprised when your character shows up and is an edgelord all dressed in white.
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