When it comes to Dungeons&Dragons fifth edition, there are four boxes on my character sheet that never get the respect they deserve: Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws. They sound so vital to the uniqueness of my character, but at Session 0 I rarely know enough about my character beyond “I really wanted to try a Dragonborn Paladin this time.” How on earth am I supposed to decide his character-defining trait is his obsession with the word salutations because of the way it’s pronounced? What if I decide I don’t like that trait anymore, but I’ve been using this silly gimmick for five sessions now? The only box I ever feel comfortable filling out is Bonds, and I wonder why that is? (spoilers: I totally know why).

When creating characters during Session 0 (DM’s, please run a Session 0 before the start of your campaigns), I find myself talking with everyone else the most about their characters and their backstories. What do these backstories most frequently detail? People of importance, notable locations, and the reason(s) why this character is part of the group. Of those four dreaded boxes on the first page of the character sheet, can you guess which one these backstories fall into best? I’ll give you one shot.

Why aren’t we giving the Bonds section more love? Also, did you know the Allies & Organizations section of the standard character sheet isn’t referenced once in the 5e Player’s Handbook?

So, I’ve devised a way to normalize incorporating these exciting, tangible aspects into character creation: the Rule of 3(+). In a few words: you write down at least one important person, place, and long-term goal, and then you share one of those concepts with another party member. For a full explanation of how this would work, keep reading!

The Setup

1. Wherever you’re tracking character information (e.g., a character sheet, a notebook/notation software, etc.), find or create the following sections: Allies/Rivals, Important Locations, and Goals.
2. In each section, create enough space for at least four entries.
3. In the Allies/Rivals section, write the name of a living person and whether they are an ally, rival, or both.
   • If you already know, you can include general demographic info (age, ancestry, relation to you, etc.) you believe might be helpful for your DM.
4. In the Important Locations section, write the name of a settlement, landmark, or geographic location important to your character.
   • If you’re unsure of what locations might be relevant to your adventure, ask your DM to provide the name of the adventure’s starting location or give you a list of locations important to the setting or module.
5. In the Goals section, write at least one long-term desire your character wants to fulfill.
   • Try to keep this first goal brief yet not easily achievable in the first few sessions. For example, I want to prove myself worthy of my lover’s hand in partnership is a short and complex goal not likely obtainable in the first session. Unlike the previous sections, these goals function best when they’re left vague.
   • Note: If you have a secret goal in mind, like wishing to become a Lich to stave off your fear of death, work with your DM to create a secondary, more public response like, I want to build my collection of ancient arcane texts. However, avoid goals that will antagonize another party member’s goal without consulting that Player first.
6. Write additional entries as needed, ensuring no more than two entries are in a single section.
7. Compare your list with the other party members.
8. From one party member’s list, choose an Ally/Rival, Important Location, or Goal.
   • Make sure each character is connected to at least one other character. It’s no fun if a character becomes the odd-one out.
9. Add the selected entry to your list, if it’s not already, and mark it with an easily-recognizable identifier (a star symbol, green highlight, etc.).

By the end of this exercise, you should have no less than three backstory entries in your notes, one of which is shared by another party member. The blank space in each section is used to incorporate elements of the adventure that become important to your character over time.

Why It Works

This exercise is a simple way to build easily-relatable, and easily discussed, facets to your characters. While the more nebulous aspects, like a character’s flaws, ideals, and definable personality traits, are helpful in the long-run, they’re most often aspects you discover through numerous sessions of gameplay. By focusing on goals, people, and places, you connect the character not only to the setting, but to the other party members as well. When sitting around a campfire, a character is far more likely to say, “Wait, you know Abigail Briar too?!” than, “Wait, you have an unspoken fear of mice biting your toes at night too?!”

Not saying it can’t happen, but the likelihood is slim.

Plus, tangible aspects are incredible fodder for your GM to incorporate into the story. Though Grimble overcoming his fear of mice might make for a gripping personal saga, learning that Abigail has been abducted by Lord Crimson for his vile experiments is a much more actionable way the DM can engage multiple characters simultaneously.

Another important aspect to consider: any and all of these entries can change. The old stone mill your character loved as a child may someday be superseded by the castle now owned and managed by the party. If your character earns the hand of their lover, what’s next? Conversely, what happens if they don’t? Our own goals, people, and places change as we develop; so, too, should your character’s. That’s what the empty spaces are for, to demonstrate your character’s growth beyond skill improvements, better equipment, or more hit points.

Conclusion

To reiterate, the Rule of 3(+) is quite simple: during the creation process, you list three tangible aspects of your character and share one or more with other party members. These tangible aspects are people (Allies/Rivals), places (Important Locations), and driving desires (Goals). While you and Grimble may both know Abigail Briar, perhaps Melodonna shares Alexis’ love of Emmond’s Mill. Or, maybe all of the party members grew up in the same town but they’re leaving for drastically different reasons. It’s also important to leave spaces blank so you can add new tangibles as the game progresses. The events of the game should affect your character in many ways, why not include these aspects in the process?

Would you use the Rule of 3(+) at the start of your next game? Why or why not? I’ll definitely be trying it at the start of my next campaign, but I would love to hear feedback on whether it’s ready to use or could use some fine-tuning!

Until next time,

Matthew Wulf

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