Ah, I was coming to write what Al had put. I thought y'all were going a different way with this.dmw71 wrote:That's all that's really needed. Just a few details that can be used, if needed, to connect the character into the world if role- playing is a big part of the game.Alethan wrote: I don't mind writing up a rough background - maybe a paragraph or so - to begin with...
Depending on what edition (I think) we are talking about old school-ish games are meant to be deadly. Dying at 1st level definitely needs to be real and teaches players that not every obstacle can be overcome with a BFA. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor
I worry about a player spending hours of effort on a PC background not getting that fact. Then disappointing them when the 97 kobolds surround a party and kill them just by numbers because they ignored the signs, or "it's just kobolds".
Plus I worry when a DM asks for such, if that's the game for me. Heh, as Dave and Alethan both know, I'm like a kid in a candy store if my character is carried home to town at the end of the adventure, clinging to life. And if it's a TPK, depending on how that occurred, I'm even more tickled pink.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy getting a character up to 7th or 10th level, but most of their backstory was created in game really. I remember quite a few of those characters names actually. But when my 1/2 orc fighter starts his career at 13yo (which is true IIRC) there shouldn't be much more of a background than a paragraph or two, otherwise why is he only 1st level.
Anyways, my two coppers!