Your first step in playing an adventurer in the Dungeons & Dragons game is to imagine and create a character of your own. Your character is a combination of game statistics, roleplaying hooks, and your imagination. You choose a race (such as human or halfling) and a class (such as fighter or wizard). You also invent the personality, appearance, and backstory of your character. Once completed, your character serves as your representative in the game, your avatar in the Dungeons & Dragons world. – Players Handbook
The Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Players Handbook lays out character creation in 6 Steps. They are:
- Choose a Race
- Choose a Class
- Determine Ability Scores
- Describe Your Character (Backgrounds, Bonds, Flaws, Ideals, Alignment)
- Choose Equipment
- Come Together (Party Composition)
If this is your first character I think this is an excellent list to start with. By “Come Together” they mean form your group or party to adventure with.
Whenever we’re going to play a game, we have a Session 0. A meet up before we actually start playing.
The DM and all the players will get together and talk about the upcoming campaign. What is the setting, what is everyone thinking of playing. Do we need more healing, more magic, more up front fighters?
I would just keep in the back of your mind that there are 3 more important ways to customize your character: Subclasses, Feats and Multiclassing.
All of these come into play after you’ve started your adventure and get beyond level 1. All of the three will hugely impact your character.
For example if you are really drawn to the Fighter, but think to yourself “I would love to at least be able to do a LITTLE bit of magic!” Well you can do that with subclasses, feats and multiclassing.
