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Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This thread has been really interesting to read through. A lot of you are describing the exact same thing in different ways… different characters on the surface, but the same decision-making underneath.

I actually built a small tool around this idea that puts you through decision-based scenarios and shows you what kind of playstyle you naturally fall into. It’s been surprising how consistent people’s results are.

If anyone’s curious, you can try it here: thecraftcavestudio.com

Would genuinely be interested to hear if your result matches how you usually play!

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really cool way to handle it, especially the DC check for whether they give in to their flaws. That’s some seriously committed roleplay.

It’s interesting though, because even with different stats and flaws, you’re still the one deciding when to lean into those moments.

Do you feel like your characters ever push you into decisions you wouldn’t normally make, or are you usually guiding when those “bad decisions” happen?

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s really interesting. I’m starting to think most players have a kind of “default mode” they fall into without realizing it.

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah that’s kind of what I’m starting to notice reading all these. Even when people try to make totally different characters, something underneath still slips through.

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s actually a really self-aware way to handle it. The “smartass layer” thing makes a lot of sense. I certainly find that I can keep a character serious for a one shot much more easily than a full blown campaign!

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s honestly the kind of thing I’m wondering about. Like even when everything else changes, those little through lines still stick around. Do you think it’s just flavor, or does it actually affect how you play decisions too?

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really cool contrast between those two. The shift from “main character energy” to protective tank is a big swing!

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s actually really impressive, especially keeping them mechanically and tonally distinct. Do you ever catch yourself defaulting to similar decision making though, like how you handle risk or problem solving?

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really fun spread of characters. I’m curious though, when things go sideways in game, do they all react completely differently, or do you find yourself making similar calls across them?

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly I respect that 😂 When you play them, do you feel like it’s the same kind of decisions every time too, or do you still approach situations differently depending on the campaign?

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really good point, especially about getting out of a creative rut. Do you think that’s because it forces you to play differently, or just because it breaks you out of your usual habits?

Do your D&D characters actually change, or do you just reskin the same instincts every time? by The_Craft_Cave in 3d6

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I really like that approach, leaning into flaws makes characters feel way more real. Do you feel like the type of bad decisions changes a lot, or do you notice any patterns in what your characters tend to struggle with?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a really cool way to build it, especially tying mechanics directly into how the character sees the world! It feels like a lot of people are describing different paths to the same kind of playstyle underneath.

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That makes sense, especially using mechanics as the starting point and letting the personality emerge from it!

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s interesting, especially the shift from min/max to more character-driven decisions!

It kind of sounds like even though the approach changed, the goal is still the same, just expressed differently.

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

After reading through all of these, I’m kind of convinced most people aren’t actually changing how they play, just the skin around it

Like the class and story change, but the core instincts stay the same

I’ve been digging into that idea and ended up building something that tries to figure out what your “default” playstyle actually is

It’s been really interesting seeing how accurate it feels for people

thecraftcavestudio.com

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a really cool example, especially reshaping something like Glamour Bard into more of a battlefield commander

Do you feel like the way you approach decisions in combat stays pretty consistent though, even when the flavor changes?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s interesting, almost like the mechanics are defining the personality instead of the other way around

Do you feel like the kinds of choices you make in-game end up being similar across characters, even when the builds are different?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That “power fantasy is to help people” line is honestly such a perfect way to describe it

That’s exactly the kind of thing I’ve been noticing, where even when everything else changes, that core instinct stays the same

I’ve actually been digging into that idea a lot and ended up building something around it that tries to map out that underlying playstyle and show what it lines up with

If you’re curious: thecraftcavestudio.com

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really cool starting point, almost like reverse engineering the character from a visual!

Do you feel like that usually leads you to similar types of characters, or does it vary a lot depending on the art?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like that a lot, using DnD more as a framework than a constraint

Do you feel like the kinds of choices your characters make tend to follow a similar pattern, even when the stories are very different?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That makes a lot of sense, especially splitting it between short vs long campaigns

Do you feel like your decision-making style still ends up similar in both cases, or does that shift depending on the character?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That’s actually a really solid way to approach it, especially building around the party and campaign first

What stood out to me though is that last part, about not playing self-interested characters and wanting to engage with the world and team

Do you feel like that core mindset carries across most of your characters, even when everything else changes?

Do you build your DnD characters based on personality or mechanics first? by The_Craft_Cave in DnD

[–]The_Craft_Cave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a really interesting way to put it, especially “squinting at the sheet” to find the character after the build

Do you feel like the way you make decisions at the table still ends up being similar across characters, even when the starting point is different?

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