Character trees are a way of building a in depth character who you can roleplay easily. It also gives you secret elements and depths to your character, which you can then show the other players at the table through the characters actions. Details within the Character tree can have one of three levels:
- Skin. How the Character presents themselves to strangers.
- Flesh. This is the truth behind the character a deeper side that they only expose when comfortable and secure.
- Bone. An internal secret, this is only every exposed in exceptional circumstances
The below describes each part of the tree & gives some examples.
FEET: This section when relating to a D&D PC is basically their physical biography and basic backstory. What do they look like? What are some basic facts about them? Skin: Jarex is a Half-Orc Male Barbarian aged 25 with a smaller height than your average human but with bigger muscles from his Orcish side. He has messy long hair with a large mullet that is sometimes tied in a ponytail. He carries his Greataxe upon his shoulder as well as some fishing nets. This alludes to his job as a fisherman outside the Kingdom with his Orcish family. He has good relations with the town but doesn’t have any close friends, he is far too busy getting jobs done requested by his father. Flesh: Jarex has a scar on his back which he keeps hidden. It was gained when he was punished as a child. There should be 8 more next to it, but his father stepped in and took his punishment in his place. He feels great shame in this scar
GROIN: This section is about your PCs wants and desires. If you also wanted to have a structure you can list it in terms of the 7 Deadly Sins. Skin: Jarex isn’t actively looking for a partner or to start a family. He wants to sharpen his Greataxe skills Flesh: Eventually he wants to secure more income to purchase medicine for his ill family. Bone: Jarex does not like who he once was. He is driven to help his family to atone for his past transgressions
HEART: This section is about what the PC needs in their life. This can be comforts as well as secret hidden positive desires. Skin: When around strangers Jarex listens more than he talks. He also supresses any anger to try and avoid being seen as the Stereotypical half-orc Flesh: Jarex is grumpy when hungry. He doesn’t require fancy food, but he does need a fully belly to be happy Bone: Jarex needs to mend his relationship with his father as well as become more comfortable in social situations. He also needs to realise his father is showing him tough love and still deeply cares for him.
THROAT: This section is more about roleplay and presentability. How do they sound in their head compared to what others hear? Skin: Jarex sounds like a slow talking but wise father. He has a soothing gruff voice that reflects his inner human core. He comes off as a heartless Orc but really is a compassionate human inside.
LEFT CHEEK: The Left Cheek is basically your PCs ‘left-brain’ activity. Are they a logical person? Are they intelligent? Skin: Jarex isn’t the smartest in the class, but he can evaluate the situation and act upon it with speed. He is a fisherman and can be patient but will leap into action when necessary.
RIGHT CHEEK: The Right Cheek is your PCs artistic capacity. This can be their ethics and inner ‘soul’. Some things to consider is how does your PC use magic, does Eldritch Blast manifest as your average force bolt? Or is it a striking magical embodiment of their soul? How often do they use spells creatively? Skin: Jarex is creative when it comes to crafting and smithing. He creates perfect weapons after many failed attempts, each slightly different. He likes to tweak with the weapon concept until all the pieces fall together. When hunting he enjoys creating traps and using nets. Flesh: Jarex is frustrated at how many attempts it takes him to make a weapon he is comfortable with.
CROWN: This is the biggest question and should be placed at the top of your Character Tree. This captures what your character is and who they are. How does his HEART interact with his RIGHT CHEEK? Link some important body parts discussed above together, what do they create? Is your PC a more LEFT CHEEK thinking person who follows their HEART? Or maybe a PC that focuses on their THROAT and GROIN. What are your PCs defining memories and how would they react to emotional situations? This category does not need levels as it is a binding web that joins all the other factors together. Jarex wants to follow his HEART but can’t due to his self imposed bitter relationship with his father. So he follows his GROIN, keeping the LEFT and RIGHT CHEEK balanced when hunting and when on quests he focuses more on his GROIN and THROAT. If suffered a loss he would only grieve for an appropriate amount of time before continuing.
The goal here is to build a deep character, shared with the DM (or select other players when appropriate). This depth can then be exposed through the course of the campaign as your relationship with the party deepens. In the first third you freely expose Skin deep elements, and maybe let slip a bone deep one or two. In the middle of the campaign you relax and open some of your Flesh deep elements. Then finally as a campaign draws to an end expose the Bone deep truths that haunt or drive your characters Truth.
All of this should be done ideally through showing not telling. For example, the party has earned 200gp their first quest as a group and announces its intent to celebrate.
You might be tempted to announce: “Jarex doesn’t want to join the party, he wants to save his share for his ill father who he wants to forgive him.” This has started and ended the story in a single sentence. Killing all mystery your character has.
Instead you think about how you can show your story through action rather than telling it:
Your fathers illness is Flesh deep, and your relationship with the party is still new. So you quietly put 200gp aside, you will talk with the DM later privately about Jarex buying some medicine in secret. While the party celebrates Jarex purchases Broth to supress his hangry nature and the minimum ale to go unnoticed in the celebrations.
A few adventures later when the relationship grows. Jarex is more likely to expose his Flesh deep layers. Perhaps rather than buying Medicine in secret he will haggle aggressively with a merchant during shopping he will still refuse to say why though. When questioned why he is hoarding coin so hard he doesn’t want to expose the Flesh deep reason quiet yet so he simply replies “Need it”.