Firstly, remember that what you are creating (or at least trying to create) in essence is another living, breathing person, just like yourself. You want your character to be as real as possible, which will in turn make your Role Playing experience more real, and more importanlty, more fun. When trying to make a character, there are a few basic aspects that should be payed attention to, and a few that can simply be touched on, as they will more than likely change or develop over time.

Race: What race is the character? Elf? Human? Halfling? Something entirely different? Oftentimes, fantasy races will have a sort of 'default persona' that can be build upon. Elves are normally aloof, Dwarves tough and gruff, and halflings are sneaky. More skills-related things also tie into character race; for an example, Dwarves love axes and make excelent miners and craftsmen, but very rarely are found with longbows as woodland guides. Conversely, Elves would almost never be found belowground, but are commonly found in forests weilding longbows with amazing skill. Also, some races have inate abilities or powers that add that much to the character. Keep in mind, however, that some races (oftentimes the same races that have additional powers) also have inherent flaws and weaknesses. For insatnce, Werewolves when transformed are much stronger and faster than in their normal forms, but take terrible damage from silver. Trolls can regenerate damage at a very fast rate, but take serious damage from fire and can't regenerate it.

**NOTE: Please observe that half-breed characters are alright (half elf/humans, for example) but more than one additional breed of creature in a character is rather outrageous. I.E., no part elf/part dragon/part demons, or anything of that nature. Also note that if a creature has an inherent weakness, it is considered poor form to ignore it. (I.E. having a vampire walk around at full power in sunshine).

Class: What sort of things does the charcter 'do' actually? Is he a warrior supreme, master at the greatsword? An unparalelled archer that can hit a target at nine-hundred yards? Or perhaps a powerful mage, feared and respected the world over for her wisdom? Does he thrive in the wilderness or skulk in the alleyways? In essence, what class is your character? Such things can often have a bearing on how a character acts and reacts. The most common class groupings in the RP world are these:

-Warriors: These are the guys that live and breathe for fighting. From mercnaries to soldiers to barbians to crusaders, Warrior characters will be the ones that are most likely to charge in to battle, and the least likely to die in said battle.

-Mages: These are the robed terrors of the world that can deal death and chos with a wave of their hand. These are the spell slingers and magic users, and the folks that are generally very physically weak, but mentally sharp as a tack.

-Rouges: Sneaky assassins, spies, thieves and the like, a rouge is often a jack of all trades and a master of none. They often do the 'dirty work' of others, and although they're not usually the best in the world combat-wiase, they more than make up with it with their myriad of other abilities.

-Combo-class: Any of the three classes can be mixed and matched. And remember, these are just generalizations, feel free to make your character as elaborate as you'd like class-wise.

Physical Attributes: How big's your character? Muscular? Thin? Fat? Crippled? Eye color? Hair color? Skin color? Anything odd, like scars or tatoos? How do they wear their hair? Facial hair? Deep booming voice or a quiet, whiney one? Also, how does your character dress? Does she wear a gown, or perhaps a traveling cloak? All of these will make your character a more real person.

History: Your character will have to have a history sooner or later (except in special cases), and most folks find that the sooner, the better. Recent events will, just like in real life, oftentimes have a major effect on a character's personality and profession. A character who had his entire family killed by orcs, for example, will more than likely be sullen and emotionally shallow, with a very dismal outlook. Likewise, that same character would probably hate orcs with a passion, and may spend his life hunting and killing every orc he can find. This is just an example, but it works.

**NOTE: Try and be original with your character's history. The abovementioned example is functional, as stated, but it is also rather generic. Creativity goes along way in Role Playing, particularly in character creation.

Personality: Last but certainly not least, how does your character act? Is she outgoing? Does he try and hide his emotions and tends to sulk? Is he racist? Sexist? Afraid of magic? Cruel? lively? Sullen? This is what will truly make your character real. Anyone can make a half-elven goblin hunter that is a master with the bow, but he will be remembered as just that. You want to be known as Alandro the Brave, the master of archery and derring-do, with a penchant for drinking. Not 'the elf with the bow'. While creating a character's persona, take in to account a few things:

-Skill and Luck: Someone that is very good at something tends to be cocky and arrogant, whereas someone that rarely does something right and has bad luck will normally be a bit hesitant... perhaps not completely hesitant, but hesitant to do certain things. Someone who commonly loses at gambling would be much less willing to drop a bag of gold on a bet than someone who wins commonly, or is very good at it.

-History: If your character's village was burned down as a child by gnolls, he will probably either hate gnolls or fear gnolls, and likewise would probably tend to be much more violent or timid, respectively. Likewise, if someone grew up in the lap of luxory without ever having any problems, he will probably be very pompous and overbearing.

-Intelegence: A dumb character will do dumb things. Likewise a smart character will do more intellegent and rational things. Plain and simple.

A character's perosnality is one of the most fun and challenging aspects of running an RP character. Why? Well, to play it right, you've got to think like your character. If three people draw swords and advance menacingly, threatening to kill your character, dont do the rational thing and run away, think "What would my character do?" Would Bergsly Beerchugger, elf-slayer extrordinare run from three panzy elves with their swords drawn? Of course not! Think like your character. Also, one big aspect to a character is that, over time, your character's persona will probably change, be it from experiences in the chat, or from little tweaks that you consciously make. When this happens, you will know that your character has ascended from the realm of "The Dwarven paladin" to "Norengar Thornbeard, The Ladiesman".

And that, friends, is all you need to create a character. Remember to be creative, and make a character that's all your own. From name to boot style, the most satisfying character is the one that is purely and truely one of your own design.

Of course, if you already have a character that you plan to use, I just waisted your time. Didn't I?

Muahahahaha....