If you have a stable D&D group, you are likely playing a long-term campaign which means you are likely playing one character, and for some people, it’s torture not to use all the cool characters they come up with over time. Others may be perfectly happy patiently building their character’s story arc, but when it comes to one-shots (in most cases), creating a new character is a requirement.
One-shots are designed as self-contained adventures that you can complete within a single 3-6 hour session. Truth be told, I’ve seen one-shots spiral into year-long campaigns, but those are outliers, so we’re not gonna be talking about them here.
Basically, you need a character that you’re gonna play for one session and not think too much about them.
Why Not Use Cool Pre-made D&D Characters?
Excellent point, me! Well, also you, because I’m pretty sure this is the thought that was the first to pop into your head, too.
The truth is that you should absolutely use pre-made characters made by awesomely cool people in the D&D community. You can even use a character generator. In fact, even the DM might want to generate characters to let players just dive into adventure.
Due to the specific narrative nature of one-shots, it might be best for the DM to create a few characters which players can choose from. Yes, I understand some fellow DMs might be cursing me out right now for suggesting that, but that doesn’t change the fact that if you want to tell a specific story, it’s probably best to create characters that will fit that story.
For example, you probably wouldn’t let a level one wizard fight through a gladiator-arena type of scenario. Or you might, but only to see a player really dead, really quick.
Best Inspiration Ideas for D&D Characters
When looking for inspiration for your D&D character, you probably have a couple of solid ideas. And even if you don’t, it’s not the end of the world.
Personally, I like to look at characters from the media I consume, be it comic books or fantasy video games, but I understand if you might want to look for other inspiration sources. In general, you should consult your DM before creating an outlandish character, but most DMs tend to be forgiving and will allow these types of characters. Still, it’s best to ask first.
The character you might create for a one-shot might be very different from what you’re comfortable with. However, that is one of the great reasons why even more experienced D&D players might decide to play a one-shot, to try a character that they usually wouldn’t play. Maybe you’re a stealthy rogue/warlock, but you want to switch to a bullish barbarian or an easy-going druid.
In fact, that’s my advice – try something you haven’t considered before. Step out of your comfort zone and see how you like it. If it’s not your thing, there are no consequences because this was a one-shot, and next time you’ll be back, comfortable with your own character that you’re likely more invested in.
Before playing a one-shot, I suggest talking to your DM. Although some Dungeon Masters like to keep cards close to their chest, most are willing to share what kind of an adventure you are going to have. They might also give you a hint as to what kind of setting the one-shot takes place in or maybe even what type of enemies you’ll be fighting. These can all be very important when creating a character because some classes have buffs for these things.
One-shots may also be a perfect opportunity to playtest your homebrew. If you’re a DM, you likely have things you want to try out, be it a gameplay mechanic or a setting quirk. And if you’re a player with a penchant for making your own classes, you should have a talk with your Dungeon Master about trying it out in his one-shot. It’s also possible that you found some homebrew class online and want to see if it’s fun to play a character like that.
Conclusion
The inspiration for cool D&D characters can be found anywhere, be it the media you like or your own tinkering with game mechanics. No lie, you can find inspiration for D&D characters in the most mundane place. Want to play Gretchen, the local grocery store clerk? Sure you can. Just talk to your DM and see if she maybe has a dark (sorcerous) past.
If you’re looking to learn how to immerse yourself more into D&D and other TTRPGs, I wholeheartedly suggest you pick up one of our books. The book on character creation may be especially of interest to you if you’re new to the genre as a whole or if you’re looking to get your creative juices flowing.
