Some time ago, I followed a link in someone's signature to a site that had a questionnaire for player characters. I have spent the last hour or so trying to find this site again, and I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction.
Thanks in advance.
Full Version: Looking for a Questionnaire for PCs
TheUrbanMonkey
Apr 8 2007, 04:56 PM
TheUrbanMonkey
Apr 8 2007, 05:14 PM
Oh yeah, I should add that I tried to search for any mention of questionnaires, using as many spellings of the word as I could come up with, and I found exactly nothing. my search-fu is weak.
Demerzel
Apr 8 2007, 05:37 PM
Try googling: 20 questions shadowrun
fistandantilus4.0
Apr 8 2007, 05:59 PM
They're usually something like this:
What is the character’s name? (Please include given name, pseudonyms etc.)
What is the characters race, nationality, age, sex, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and skin color/tone, and build?
Where did your character learn his/her skills?
What did your character do before becoming a shadowrunner?
Where was your character born? Feel free to include any other places he/she may have lived.
Does your character have any family? If not, why. (Do they know where you are? Do they care? Etc)
What are your characters dreams/goals/aspirations?
What is the characters general appearance? (How do they stand? How do they dress? Are they attractive? Do they try to look intimidating or casual?)
Why did they choose to run the shadows?
What is the characters personality? (This is apart from just basic psyche. Are you an idealist, radical, pessimist, militant, aloof etc?)
What skills does your character bring to this group? What makes them special? (Aside from whatever skills you have written down, is there anything else your character does well?)
What are some things your character cannot do? (Get close to people, work well with others, handle money, think clearly under stress etc.)
What does your character hate and why? (Megacorps?Elves?Magic)
What does your character love?
What does your character respect?
How was your character educated?
What is your characters moral code?
Does your character have any political beliefs? Religious?
What item(s) does your character treasure? (This is beyond monetary value. It could be a lucky coin, photograph, sock etc.)
Tell me at least one thing I (as the GM) should know about your character.
That's the list I use in my games . There's usually one in the BBB too.
[ Spoiler ]
What is the character’s name? (Please include given name, pseudonyms etc.)
What is the characters race, nationality, age, sex, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and skin color/tone, and build?
Where did your character learn his/her skills?
What did your character do before becoming a shadowrunner?
Where was your character born? Feel free to include any other places he/she may have lived.
Does your character have any family? If not, why. (Do they know where you are? Do they care? Etc)
What are your characters dreams/goals/aspirations?
What is the characters general appearance? (How do they stand? How do they dress? Are they attractive? Do they try to look intimidating or casual?)
Why did they choose to run the shadows?
What is the characters personality? (This is apart from just basic psyche. Are you an idealist, radical, pessimist, militant, aloof etc?)
What skills does your character bring to this group? What makes them special? (Aside from whatever skills you have written down, is there anything else your character does well?)
What are some things your character cannot do? (Get close to people, work well with others, handle money, think clearly under stress etc.)
What does your character hate and why? (Megacorps?Elves?Magic)
What does your character love?
What does your character respect?
How was your character educated?
What is your characters moral code?
Does your character have any political beliefs? Religious?
What item(s) does your character treasure? (This is beyond monetary value. It could be a lucky coin, photograph, sock etc.)
Tell me at least one thing I (as the GM) should know about your character.
That's the list I use in my games . There's usually one in the BBB too.
Glyph
Apr 8 2007, 08:17 PM
Here's Bull's. I couldn't find the originals on his site, but I have a copy, although I have tweaked it just a tiny bit.
1. What is your character's Sex?
2. What is your character's physical size?
3. What is the color of the character's hair, eyes, and skin?
4. What is the character's general appearance (i.e., How does he/she dress, etc.)?
5. Where was the character born (City, State, Hospital Name)?
6. What is the character's date of birth?
7. What was the character's family life like?
8. Has the character begun his/her own family?
9. Where or how was the character educated?
10. Has the character ever done anything else for a living?
11. What are the character's political and religious beliefs?
12. Describe the character's moral code. Include how mercenary he/she is, whether or not he/she will kill innocents, etc.
13. What are the character's goals, if any?
14. Why does the character run the shadows? (Why does he/she run the shadows still, rather than getting a "real" job?)
15. What kind of personality does the character have? This should not necessarily be obviously stated in the background, as it is more important for actually playing the character, but it may color or add mood to the history.
16. What special qualities does the character posess? This does not refer to skills, but rather to other things, such as How he/she gets along with people, does he/she plan ahead, etc.
17. Are there certain things the character can't or won't do? Why?
18. What things, people, or ideas does the character hate?
19. What things, people, or ideas does the character love?
20. What is the character's name? Give both full birth name, as well as nicknames, street names, etc.
21. Determine what your character used to do, before becoming a shadowrunner (very important).
22. Decide why your character left his or her old job, if he/she had one (also important).
23. Come up with a reason for why the character became a shadowrunner. (This very often will tie in with #22. This is not the same as #14, but rather why he/she started running the shadows originally. What led him/her to it?)
24. How did your character come to know his or her contacts? Contacts are an important part of Shadowrun, decide how and why you know them.
25. Does the character have a SIN? Does the character actually use it? Or is the character one of the SINless masses? This may be affected by the characters previous employment.
26. Is the character a full-time shadowrunner? Or does the character lead a Batman-like double existence?
27. Which person(s) or group(s) do you love the most?
28. Which person(s) or group(s) do you hate the most?
29. Which person(s) or group(s) do you respect the most?
30. Which person(s) or group(s) do you fear the most?
31. What is your favourite colour?
32. What is your favourite food and/or drink?
33. What place would you most like to visit?
34. Which person(s) or group(s) are you most loyal to?
35. What pastime (that you particiapate in regularly) gives you the most enjoyment? (Warning: Answering Sex for this question can and will result in penalties to your character!)
36. What pastime (that you participate in regularly) gives you the least enjoyment?
37. What annoys you the most?
38. What (if any) is your favourite form of art?
39. What is your greatest goal?
40. What do you think is your character's best quality?
41. What do you think is your character's worst quality?
42. What is the most important thing you have ever done?
43. Which religion (if any) do you follow?
44. What is your most treasured possession (and why)?
45. What are your three most common dreams?
46. What is the Character's current relationship with his/her family?
47. If the character's family is still alive, what do they do, and where do they live?
48. Where did the character learn his/her Skills?
49. Does the character have a good luck charm? What is it, and why?
50. What type of music does the character like?
51. List any past serious relationships that your character has had, and give a brief overview of the relationship.
52. Where does your character live? Why does he/she live there?
53. Remember, your Gamemaster like detail, so if you can think of any other little details, quirks, or whatever that you think might please the almight GM, then add them in as well. Oh, and your GM won't use any of these details against you at a later date. trust me...
And here are the SR 20 questions. I kind of jotted down some things to think about under each question, which may or may not be useful to you, but you can just highlight them and type over them if you use these (they are NOT an exhaustive list).
BACKGROUND
1) Where is your character from?
general area - country/city
type of neighborhood (rich, poor, wilderness, etc.)
2) Does your character have a family?
current relationship (estranged, run in secret from them, they know & approve/don't)
any family who are enemies/dependents/see you as a role model/endangered by you
married/kids/seeing someone? how does it impact running?
3) Does your character have an ethnic background?
raised foreign country/sheltered environment/cultural melting pot?
does your heritage matter to you (pos or neg) or not?
APPEARANCE
4) What does your character look like?
Skin:
Eyes:
Hair:
Face:
Height and build:
Distinguishing Characteristics: scars, tattoos, cyber, perpetual scowl, etc.
5) What does your character dress like?
how do you normally dress?
Do you dress differently for running/social engagements?
6) Does your character have physical quirks?
nervous habits, odd mannerisms, etc.
SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES, AND RESOURCES
7) Where did your character learn their Active Skills?
How did you pick up each skill/group of skills?
Formally/informally? Mentor or trial & error?
8 ) Where did your character learn their Knowledge Skills?
How did you pick up each skill/group of skills?
Formally/informally? Mentor or trial & error?
9) Where did your character get his goodies?
Upgraded during course of career?
Legacy of former employment?
Any special history/significance to any piece of gear?
10) Where does your character live?
General area/neighborhood.
What kind of neighborhood is it/how do you fit in?
How do you deal with/get along with your neighbors?
11) Who are your character's contacts?
For each - contact name, type (fixer, etc.), Connection/Loyalty ratings.
Then - short paragraph describing them + relationship/history with character.
12) Who are your character's enemies?
For each - name, short description, history of the enmity.
13) How did your character learn magic?
What is your attitude about magic? (2nd is for mundanes)
How did you learn about your magic?
Who taught you?
How do you feel about your totem/magic in general?
Mundanes - are you scared/jealous/misinformed/idolize magical types?
PERSONALITY
14) What are your character's likes and dislikes?
What do you love/hate, support/work to destroy?
What things are you completely unreasonable about?
15) What is your character's moral code?
Where do you draw the line?
If you are a monster, how did you get that way?
Personal morality - honesty, personal honor, vices, etc.
Also - are you consistent, a hypocrite, or just amoral?
16) Does your character have goals?
Short term goals?
Long term goals, & how they might change?
17) Does your character have personal beliefs?
Religion & how you practice it personally.
Politics & hot-button issues that resonate with you.
-ex. metahuman rights, are vampires evil, etc.
18) Does your character have personality quirks?
cocky, complacent, bitter, driven, perfectionist, petty, etc.
RUNNING THE SHADOWS
19) Why does your character run the shadows?
Too independent/maverick for corp work?
Born to crime & just working your way up the food chain?
Social reformer/Robin Hood type?
Mercenary/pro who just sees it as another way to make a living?
Thrill seeker or bored rich kid?
20) How does your character view his/her role as a shadowrunner?
See yourself as a necessity in a flawed world/end justifies the means?
See yourself as a thug hired for dirty work, the others are fooling themselves?
See yourself as a crusader for truth & justice?
Hate it but have no other options?
Want to go back, but can't? or maybe can, and that is your major goal?
Are you part of a SR "community" or don't trust anyone?
[ Spoiler ]
1. What is your character's Sex?
2. What is your character's physical size?
3. What is the color of the character's hair, eyes, and skin?
4. What is the character's general appearance (i.e., How does he/she dress, etc.)?
5. Where was the character born (City, State, Hospital Name)?
6. What is the character's date of birth?
7. What was the character's family life like?
8. Has the character begun his/her own family?
9. Where or how was the character educated?
10. Has the character ever done anything else for a living?
11. What are the character's political and religious beliefs?
12. Describe the character's moral code. Include how mercenary he/she is, whether or not he/she will kill innocents, etc.
13. What are the character's goals, if any?
14. Why does the character run the shadows? (Why does he/she run the shadows still, rather than getting a "real" job?)
15. What kind of personality does the character have? This should not necessarily be obviously stated in the background, as it is more important for actually playing the character, but it may color or add mood to the history.
16. What special qualities does the character posess? This does not refer to skills, but rather to other things, such as How he/she gets along with people, does he/she plan ahead, etc.
17. Are there certain things the character can't or won't do? Why?
18. What things, people, or ideas does the character hate?
19. What things, people, or ideas does the character love?
20. What is the character's name? Give both full birth name, as well as nicknames, street names, etc.
21. Determine what your character used to do, before becoming a shadowrunner (very important).
22. Decide why your character left his or her old job, if he/she had one (also important).
23. Come up with a reason for why the character became a shadowrunner. (This very often will tie in with #22. This is not the same as #14, but rather why he/she started running the shadows originally. What led him/her to it?)
24. How did your character come to know his or her contacts? Contacts are an important part of Shadowrun, decide how and why you know them.
25. Does the character have a SIN? Does the character actually use it? Or is the character one of the SINless masses? This may be affected by the characters previous employment.
26. Is the character a full-time shadowrunner? Or does the character lead a Batman-like double existence?
27. Which person(s) or group(s) do you love the most?
28. Which person(s) or group(s) do you hate the most?
29. Which person(s) or group(s) do you respect the most?
30. Which person(s) or group(s) do you fear the most?
31. What is your favourite colour?
32. What is your favourite food and/or drink?
33. What place would you most like to visit?
34. Which person(s) or group(s) are you most loyal to?
35. What pastime (that you particiapate in regularly) gives you the most enjoyment? (Warning: Answering Sex for this question can and will result in penalties to your character!)
36. What pastime (that you participate in regularly) gives you the least enjoyment?
37. What annoys you the most?
38. What (if any) is your favourite form of art?
39. What is your greatest goal?
40. What do you think is your character's best quality?
41. What do you think is your character's worst quality?
42. What is the most important thing you have ever done?
43. Which religion (if any) do you follow?
44. What is your most treasured possession (and why)?
45. What are your three most common dreams?
46. What is the Character's current relationship with his/her family?
47. If the character's family is still alive, what do they do, and where do they live?
48. Where did the character learn his/her Skills?
49. Does the character have a good luck charm? What is it, and why?
50. What type of music does the character like?
51. List any past serious relationships that your character has had, and give a brief overview of the relationship.
52. Where does your character live? Why does he/she live there?
53. Remember, your Gamemaster like detail, so if you can think of any other little details, quirks, or whatever that you think might please the almight GM, then add them in as well. Oh, and your GM won't use any of these details against you at a later date. trust me...
And here are the SR 20 questions. I kind of jotted down some things to think about under each question, which may or may not be useful to you, but you can just highlight them and type over them if you use these (they are NOT an exhaustive list).
[ Spoiler ]
BACKGROUND
1) Where is your character from?
general area - country/city
type of neighborhood (rich, poor, wilderness, etc.)
2) Does your character have a family?
current relationship (estranged, run in secret from them, they know & approve/don't)
any family who are enemies/dependents/see you as a role model/endangered by you
married/kids/seeing someone? how does it impact running?
3) Does your character have an ethnic background?
raised foreign country/sheltered environment/cultural melting pot?
does your heritage matter to you (pos or neg) or not?
APPEARANCE
4) What does your character look like?
Skin:
Eyes:
Hair:
Face:
Height and build:
Distinguishing Characteristics: scars, tattoos, cyber, perpetual scowl, etc.
5) What does your character dress like?
how do you normally dress?
Do you dress differently for running/social engagements?
6) Does your character have physical quirks?
nervous habits, odd mannerisms, etc.
SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES, AND RESOURCES
7) Where did your character learn their Active Skills?
How did you pick up each skill/group of skills?
Formally/informally? Mentor or trial & error?
8 ) Where did your character learn their Knowledge Skills?
How did you pick up each skill/group of skills?
Formally/informally? Mentor or trial & error?
9) Where did your character get his goodies?
Upgraded during course of career?
Legacy of former employment?
Any special history/significance to any piece of gear?
10) Where does your character live?
General area/neighborhood.
What kind of neighborhood is it/how do you fit in?
How do you deal with/get along with your neighbors?
11) Who are your character's contacts?
For each - contact name, type (fixer, etc.), Connection/Loyalty ratings.
Then - short paragraph describing them + relationship/history with character.
12) Who are your character's enemies?
For each - name, short description, history of the enmity.
13) How did your character learn magic?
What is your attitude about magic? (2nd is for mundanes)
How did you learn about your magic?
Who taught you?
How do you feel about your totem/magic in general?
Mundanes - are you scared/jealous/misinformed/idolize magical types?
PERSONALITY
14) What are your character's likes and dislikes?
What do you love/hate, support/work to destroy?
What things are you completely unreasonable about?
15) What is your character's moral code?
Where do you draw the line?
If you are a monster, how did you get that way?
Personal morality - honesty, personal honor, vices, etc.
Also - are you consistent, a hypocrite, or just amoral?
16) Does your character have goals?
Short term goals?
Long term goals, & how they might change?
17) Does your character have personal beliefs?
Religion & how you practice it personally.
Politics & hot-button issues that resonate with you.
-ex. metahuman rights, are vampires evil, etc.
18) Does your character have personality quirks?
cocky, complacent, bitter, driven, perfectionist, petty, etc.
RUNNING THE SHADOWS
19) Why does your character run the shadows?
Too independent/maverick for corp work?
Born to crime & just working your way up the food chain?
Social reformer/Robin Hood type?
Mercenary/pro who just sees it as another way to make a living?
Thrill seeker or bored rich kid?
20) How does your character view his/her role as a shadowrunner?
See yourself as a necessity in a flawed world/end justifies the means?
See yourself as a thug hired for dirty work, the others are fooling themselves?
See yourself as a crusader for truth & justice?
Hate it but have no other options?
Want to go back, but can't? or maybe can, and that is your major goal?
Are you part of a SR "community" or don't trust anyone?
lorechaser
Apr 8 2007, 08:27 PM
Here's another 20 I found somewhere, and like:
Describe the room where you sleep.
Describe three non-"contact" relationships you have with people.
What's an important lesson you learned as a child?
What's your idea of getting "dressed up?"
If you weren't shadowrunning, you'd be doing... what?
Who are you important to? Why?
What actor would play this character in the movies? Why?
What organizations do you belong to? Or, what organizations would you belong to if you were a legit citizen?
Describe three public places that you would enjoy spending time at.
What advice would you give a noobie runner?
If someone was going to insult your character, what would they say about him/her?
What was the most important thing the character learned from his/her parents/guardians?
What part(s) of the character's childhood most influenced the person he/she is today?
What kind of music does the character like?
If the character could have anything in the world, what would it be?
Name five things that the character likes to do that have absolutely nothing to do with his/her profession or shadowrunning.
What kinds of movies/trideos does the character like and why?
What would the character's ideal relationship partner look like?
If the character could change one thing about him/herself, what would it be?
If the character's teammates could change one thing about the character, what would it be?
What is the character's favorite food?
When the character was a child, what did he/she want to be when grown up?
If the character was suddenly prevented from shadowrunning, what would he/she do instead?
If the character had a choice between saving a teammate and an innocent child from a life-threatening situation and knew whichever one he/she didn't save would die, which one would he/she choose?
What's the best way to persuade the character to do something?
Choose five adjectives to describe the character.
Is the character sentimental about anything? If so, what? If not, why not?
Does the character have any catch phrases, nervous tics, or personal habits that would identify him/her?
What might the character's friends or teammates tease him or her about? Would this teasing bother the character, or would he/she laugh along?
What are the character's vices?
How does the character feel about these vices? Is he/she okay with them, or is s/he working to eliminate them?
Where would be the character's idea of a good place to take a date?
What sorts of situations make the character feel awkward or ill-at-ease?
What aspect of him/herself is the character most uncomfortable with?
What aspect of him/herself is the character most satisfied with?
Is the character an introvert or an extrovert?
How does the character behave at parties?
How does the character behave around someone in whom he/she is interested romantically?
Does the character believe in true love?
If the character was not a member of his/her current profession, what other profession would he/she prefer to be? (That is, if the character couldn't be a rigger, would s/he like to be a mage? A decker? A samurai? Something else?)
What does the character like best about his/her chosen shadowrunning profession (rigger, mage, samurai, decker, etc.)?
What does the character like least about his/her shadowrunning profession?
What's the character's favorite animal? If he/she doesn't like animals at all, why not?
[ Spoiler ]
Describe the room where you sleep.
Describe three non-"contact" relationships you have with people.
What's an important lesson you learned as a child?
What's your idea of getting "dressed up?"
If you weren't shadowrunning, you'd be doing... what?
Who are you important to? Why?
What actor would play this character in the movies? Why?
What organizations do you belong to? Or, what organizations would you belong to if you were a legit citizen?
Describe three public places that you would enjoy spending time at.
What advice would you give a noobie runner?
If someone was going to insult your character, what would they say about him/her?
What was the most important thing the character learned from his/her parents/guardians?
What part(s) of the character's childhood most influenced the person he/she is today?
What kind of music does the character like?
If the character could have anything in the world, what would it be?
Name five things that the character likes to do that have absolutely nothing to do with his/her profession or shadowrunning.
What kinds of movies/trideos does the character like and why?
What would the character's ideal relationship partner look like?
If the character could change one thing about him/herself, what would it be?
If the character's teammates could change one thing about the character, what would it be?
What is the character's favorite food?
When the character was a child, what did he/she want to be when grown up?
If the character was suddenly prevented from shadowrunning, what would he/she do instead?
If the character had a choice between saving a teammate and an innocent child from a life-threatening situation and knew whichever one he/she didn't save would die, which one would he/she choose?
What's the best way to persuade the character to do something?
Choose five adjectives to describe the character.
Is the character sentimental about anything? If so, what? If not, why not?
Does the character have any catch phrases, nervous tics, or personal habits that would identify him/her?
What might the character's friends or teammates tease him or her about? Would this teasing bother the character, or would he/she laugh along?
What are the character's vices?
How does the character feel about these vices? Is he/she okay with them, or is s/he working to eliminate them?
Where would be the character's idea of a good place to take a date?
What sorts of situations make the character feel awkward or ill-at-ease?
What aspect of him/herself is the character most uncomfortable with?
What aspect of him/herself is the character most satisfied with?
Is the character an introvert or an extrovert?
How does the character behave at parties?
How does the character behave around someone in whom he/she is interested romantically?
Does the character believe in true love?
If the character was not a member of his/her current profession, what other profession would he/she prefer to be? (That is, if the character couldn't be a rigger, would s/he like to be a mage? A decker? A samurai? Something else?)
What does the character like best about his/her chosen shadowrunning profession (rigger, mage, samurai, decker, etc.)?
What does the character like least about his/her shadowrunning profession?
What's the character's favorite animal? If he/she doesn't like animals at all, why not?
Aaron
Apr 8 2007, 09:37 PM
Feel free to steal any of the ones I've been using for my game. They're listed under the homework assignments on the journal page of one of my players, which can be found here.
Some I stole from [u]Amber Diceless Roleplaying[/i] by Eric Wucjik. Others I made up.
Some I stole from [u]Amber Diceless Roleplaying[/i] by Eric Wucjik. Others I made up.
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