Your First Character

Creating Your First Character

When it comes to Creating Your First Character, it’s okay if you have no idea where to begin. I’d recommend starting with the basics and going from there.

• What does your character want?
• Is there anything standing in their way?
• What drives them?
• Does anything scare them?
• What are their goals?
• Do they have a favorite color?
• A favorite food?
• Are they repulsed by anything?
• Do they have any quirks?

The more you start fleshing out ideas, the more ideas you’ll get. If you need help getting started, you can use this template as a guide to start brainstorming details about your character.

The cool thing about GTA is that nothing is scripted. Situations are always evolving but it’s still a good idea to have goals for your character like you would IRL. How would you tell your character’s story? What is their arc? Where do you see them in 5 years? It’s okay to have a plan or an agenda but keep in mind at any time, things can change so be flexible. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow for the sake of RP. You want to have a path in mind, but just know, the route you take can change on the fly and you may run into hurdles along the way. So it’s important to stay flexible and be ready for anything.

The more you know about your character, the more prepared you’ll be in any given scenario and the more natural your actions and dialogue will become. A good general tip is to think of ways YOUR character can stand out. Whether it’s their backstory, their personality traits or the way they respond in certain situations.

Do I really need a backstory?

Now, if you’re thinking. I’m really good at improv. I’ll just make it up as I go. Trust me. As a theater geek and someone who’s done improv for years, I promise, you will still benefit from creating a backstory for your character even if you have experience acting, or thinking on your feet. The RP experience itself will give you plenty of opportunities to think on the fly. But when it comes to playing a convincing character, you can never be too prepared. Say someone asks where you’re from and you realize you hadn’t that about it.. You can rattle off anything, sure, but it might not be an answer you want to stick with. Again, first impressions are everything. And some facts about your character may be hard to un-do or change later on. 

It is absolutely worth taking the time beforehand to dive deep into your character. Where they grew up, how they got here, and remember, these details are what will make them interesting and give you something to build on. Most importantly, coming up with the answers to these questions and deciding them ahead of time will ensure you have a solid foundation to draw from. Knowing your character inside and out will make everything else easier. AND, it will allow you to be more creative where it counts. Instead of using your creative energy to come up with your favorite condiment or whatever someone just asked you, you can be thinking about something clever to say or a way to add something funny to the conversation.

Hammering out the details is a crucial step in developing a strong, memorable and believable character. Remember, the more you know about your character, the more prepared you’ll be in any given scenario and the more natural your actions and dialogue will become.

 For Example:

Maybe your name is Fry Guy and you work at Burgershot. You ALWAYS wear a french fry mask and you end every conversation with the catchphrase “you want fries with that?”. Maybe you refuse to eat anything BUT fries and if you accidentally do- you pass out. This is just an example but love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s a character you meet once and never forget.

That being said, try not to OVERUSE things to the point where it gets predictable or annoying. But having a collection of go-to quirks you can pull out of your pocket for  those opportune times can make for a great laugh, and some hilarious content. Remember, every person you come across has THEIR own personality and characteristics. So you never know how someone will respond, which makes each interaction unique in its own right. 

The more you RP, and the more you develop your character, the more natural it will come. Before you know it, without thinking, you’ll respond instantly to things that trigger your character or spark a conversation. Having things you can draw from at any time will give your character a strong identity that’s not only recognizable, but something people can imitate.

After a while, not only will your friends in-game be in on the jokes but if you’re a creator, or streamer, your chat will love these bits too. So don’t be afraid to reuse your best material.

Character Identity

When it comes to character identity, focus on what sets your character apart. What makes them different? What is their signature look, theme or overall branding? Do they rock a certain color scheme, hairstyle or accessory?

Character Creation

When it comes to how your character looks, do NOT rush the process. This is your chance to get creative and experiment! Try on a bunch of different hairstyles, accessories, and outfits. Try on something completely ridiculous to see if it happens to work or sparks another idea. I’m a firm believer that character creation is an art. Take your time to get it right and make sure you create someone you’re happy with and are excited to play!

As a new player, it can be tempting to change your clothes, your hair, your style every single day because, well, you can. However, because you’re a new player, it may be hard for people that have been around a while to remember your name. Especially if you’re accepted at a time when there’s a huge influx of other new players OR if you’re constantly changing how you look.

Remember how your favorite cartoon always wore the exact same thing? This might seem boring in a world where we can change our appearance every five minutes, but sometimes having a unique, instantly recognizable identity is more important. Especially when you’re new, and trying to stand out among the slew of other new players just added to the server.

Until you’ve been around a few weeks or have met a majority of the players, I recommend sticking to ONE look. By all means, make it your own, make it unique, make it awesome! But make it memorable. Until others get to know your character, your voice, your mannerisms or personality, make yourself easily recognizable and avoid drastically changing your look.

My character, DR DESHrespect for example, can always be found in a black hoodie with devil horns. And some form of no pants… (since I run the No Pants Gang) Whenever my friends and I get into mischief, everyone knows it’s a NO PANTS ZONE. They can usually identify us right away due to our… lack of pants. Want to catch me RP live? Follow me on Twitch!

Choosing a Personality

When it comes to coming up with a personality for your character, be sure to pick something unique to really set you apart. It’s also fun to play around with the different “personalities” or “walks”, you can choose from in-game. Say you play as an old man. Maybe you want to use a personality or walk where you’re always hunched over. You can also use things like Prop Emotes like a walking stick, for instance. (clip)

You might even want to change things up in certain situations. Say after an accident, for instance, you may want to use something like “injured male/female” to make your character walk with a limp. There’s a lot to choose from, so play around and see which suits your character best or make a point to remember others you may want to use later on. And don’t be afraid to try something different when the situation calls for it. It could make for some really good RP!

Btw, if you’re looking for more info on emotes, shared emotes or prop emotes, click here.

Changing Clothes / Appearance / Accessories

Some accessories can be changed anywhere, like throwing on a pair of sunglasses, a mask or a hat, while changing your clothes or facial hair and other features may need to be done at a specific location. On some servers, you may need to visit a barber shop, hair salon, or tattoo parlor. While on others, any clothing store or apartment closet will do. And don’t forget to save your favorite outfits so you can easily change into them whenever you need to. 

Keep in mind, some servers strictly forbid you to significantly change your appearance in the middle of a car chase or heist, for obvious reasons so again, do your due diligence on your server and when in doubt, refer to the rules or just ask in discord.

Creating Multiple Characters

Having multiple characters is common for most RPers, especially when they all have completely different personalities, accents or things that set them apart from one another. However, for someone new to RP, I’d suggest sticking to one character and mastering that character first.

And once again, for the application process, you generally want to focus on one character anyway. Just remember: The more solid and comfortable you become with your first character, the easier it will be creating additional characters moving forward.

Still need help with your character? Check out my free template! Start developing your first character, along with an engaging backstory that will set you apart when you apply to whitelisted servers like No Pixel.

Looking for tips on the application process? Click here! Or check out this list of the BEST RP Servers you can apply to.

Are you brand new to RP? Check out my Complete Beginner Guide to RP!

Desh Please

Drinker of Coffee, Lover of Games, Creator of Content