How to Create a D&D Character with Real Depth (Not Just a Stat Block)
Most players don’t set out to create shallow characters. But when you're sitting at the table with a fresh character sheet, it’s easy to focus on stats, spells, and optimisation while overlooking what makes a character truly memorable… depth!
Whether you're a new player or a seasoned veteran, this guide will walk you through how to breathe life into your character. Below you’ll discover tools, prompts, and ideas that go far beyond choosing a race and class.
Step 1: Define the Core Concept (But Don’t Get Stuck There)
Start with a broad idea. This could be as simple as:
"A dwarven monk who used to be a pit-fighter."
"An elven bard who gave up immortality for love."
Let this be a launch pad, not a cage. Your concept should invite questions, not limit possibilities. Ask yourself: Why does this character live the way they do? What happened before page 1 of their story?
Step 2: Establish the Character’s Internal Conflict
Great characters are torn between opposing forces. Use these prompts to build their contradictions:
What do they want vs. what do they need?
What is their greatest fear?
What is something they believe that might not be true?
Who do they pretend to be?
This is your character’s emotional engine. It’s what creates drama, fuels development, and makes their arc satisfying.
Step 3: Create a Living Backstory
Too many players feel that their backstory has to be this massive document that chronicles what they like for breakfast and how they tie their shoes. Backstories are not novels. Instead, write key turning points in your character’s journey:
A tragedy they never recovered from.
A mentor or rival who shaped them.
A vow they’ve made and might one day break.
A good backstory isn’t just history; it’s ammunition for the Dungeon Master and yourself to explore character-driven moments during play.
Step 4: Build Dynamic Goals
Avoid static goals like "get rich" or "kill the villain." Instead, ask:
What is their current goal?
What will change that goal later?
What will make them question everything?
Dynamic goals mean the character isn’t locked into a single path. They change, just like real people. Too often, players can lose interest in their characters as they enter double-digit levels. This is often because the DM has covered off the resolution to their backstory, and by doing so has concluded that player-character’s story arc. But unlike a movie, a D&D Campaign works more like a television series. Imagine each session falling into a season. Every season of your campaign, the plot should shift, and so should your character’s goals. Of course, these need to make sense, so be sure to pay attention to everything that happens within the story. That way, you can allow your character to grow truly… Here are some examples:
1. Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Initial Goal: Provide for his family after a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Later Goal: Build a drug empire and feed his own ego.
Final Arc: Protect what remains of his family and legacy… on his terms.
D&D Parallel: A character who starts out as a reluctant hero might become corrupted by power, or obsessed with status and control. Think of a lawful good cleric gradually drawn into morally grey politics.
2. Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Initial Goal: Capture the Avatar to restore his honour.
Mid-Series Shift: Question his father’s cruelty and his own identity.
Final Arc: Join the Avatar to fight for justice — and earn true honour.
D&D Parallel: A character driven by revenge or duty can later realise they were chasing the wrong thing. Their new goal might be redemption, atonement, or switching allegiances mid-campaign.
3. Jamie Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Initial Goal: Maintain his reputation and family’s power.
Mid-Series Shift: Survive captivity and reckon with his shame.
Later Arc: Seek redemption and purpose outside of his family — then tragically regress.
D&D Parallel: Players can deepen their characters by letting them grow past old loyalties — even if they sometimes backslide or struggle with identity.
4. Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Initial Goal: Balance teen life with slaying monsters.
Seasonal Shifts: From accepting her calling, to losing loved ones, to confronting her own mortality and role as a leader.
Endgame: Redefine what it means to be a Slayer — for herself and others.
D&D Parallel: A PC might start as “just a fighter” but evolve into a reluctant leader, a spiritual seeker, or a reluctant god-slayer — shaped by the lives they touch and lose along the way.
5. BoJack Horseman (BoJack Horseman)
Initial Goal: Reclaim fame and feel good about himself.
Series Evolution: Confront deep-seated trauma, addiction, and selfishness.
Endgame: Try to become better — even when it’s too late to undo the damage.
D&D Parallel: This kind of long-form transformation suits campaigns that explore character flaws, slow self-awareness, or the fallout of poor choices. Not every arc needs to end in triumph — but it should be earned.
Step 5: Add Specific, Memorable Flaws
Your character’s flaw should be more than "I’m too loyal" or "I trust too easily."
Think personality defects, emotional scars, or compulsions:
They always have to win.
They lie when they're nervous.
They can’t sleep alone.
They’re terrified of losing control.
Flaws help you play a more human, relatable character—and give your party something real to interact with.
Step 6: Integrate Their Values & Beliefs
This is where your character's moral compass lives. Even villains have values:
What won’t they compromise on?
What do they believe about the world?
What would it take to make them betray that?
This creates a foundation for character-driven decisions in morally grey moments.
Step 7: Make Them React, Not Just Act
During gameplay, let your character react to what happens emotionally:
Are they furious about injustice?
Do they freeze when things get personal?
Do they crack jokes to hide fear?
Reacting in character creates depth on the fly.
Bonus: Use the "Character Soul Map"
To help you structure all of this, download our free Character Soul Map Worksheet – a printable tool to map out your character's internal makeup, beliefs, contradictions, and more.
DOWNLOAD THE CHARACTER SOUL MAP
Stats make a character playable. Depth makes them unforgettable. If you want your next D&D game to be something that stays with you long after the session ends, put the same energy into your character’s heart as you do into their gear.
Got questions or want to share your character soul map? Drop a comment below or tag us on Instagram @rolldarkgma