How to Build a D&D Character Based on Your Favorite Character
- Irma Hoyt
- Dec 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 4
Let's set the scene:
You're sitting down to create your first D&D character and the blank character sheet is staring back at you like "wow, good luck with this". Meanwhile, your brain is busy jellyfishing with Spongebob because you have NO IDEA where to start.
Here's the secret literally everyone uses but nobody talks about: just steal from a character you already love.
I'm not talking about just dropping Satoru Gojo in your DM's fantasy world and calling it a day (though, that would be dope); I'm talking about taking what makes that character interesting and translating it into D&D mechanics. This D&D 5e character creation method works whether you're building your first character or your tenth.
Let me show you how.
Start with what you already know about your favorite character!
Think about your favorite character from literally any media: movies, shows, books, games, whatever. What makes them them? Is it how they fight? Or maybe it's their sarcastic humor? Ooh! Or that tragic backstory that lives rent-free in your head? How about the way they're loyal as hell but pretend they don't care?
Write that shit down. Those are your building blocks.
You want 3-5 specific traits such as, "uses humor to deflect from serious questions" instead of just "funny".
Break it dooooown
Here's where you decide what you're actually stealing:
Combat style ... how do they throw hands?
Personality ... what are they like? What's their vibe?
Moral code ... what lines won't they cross?
Relationships ... how do they connect with people?
Trauma ... what broke them? (This is D&D, everyone's got trauma) What makes them crash out?
Goals ... what are they actually trying to accomplish?
You don't need all of these, so just pick a couple that resonate the most with the kind of character you're making. If you try to use everything, you'll just make a carbon copy instead of something that fits YOUR character's class and YOUR campaign.
Match that energy to D&D classes
This is where the magic happens. If you haven't picked a class yet, let your fave character's combat style (or their personality, if you're basing it on a character from a show/movie/book without combat) tell you what class they should be.
Your character gets up close and personal? Fighter, Barbarian, Monk, or Paladin (if they fight for their God)
They're the sneaky backstabber type? Rogue or Ranger
Magic is their whole thing? Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Bard, or Druid depending on how they got their power.
They're the charming face of the operation? Bard or Rogue (or any class if you can make that CHA high enough)
They protect people at any cost? Paladin, Cleric, or Druid
Here's an example: Inosuke (my favorite lil' short-tempered demon slayer) fights with swords [melee], uses 'beast breathing' [limited magic], tracks demons [survival skills], and was raised by boars. Sounds like a barbarian to me, but I can also make him a ranger and change up the details to fit.
Don't forget the flaws!
Real talk, your character needs to suck at something.
Look at your inspiration character's biggest flaws and throw those in the mix! Let's use chaotic ass Inosuke one more time, for an example:
Inosuke refuses to accept defeat and is impulsive as hell; I keep this in mind for when I start to work on his backstory (most likely using an episode from Demon Slayer as reference) and when it comes to actual combat, I use this flaw to roleplay him with the worst ideas for battle plans.
Make it personal to your character
Let's say your favorite character is Geralt of Rivia; for one thing, your DM's world probably doesn't have witchers.
But you CAN be a ranger who was trained by a monster-hunting guild, has two signature swords, and is sometimes shunned by rando NPCs.
Change the details to fit your DM's world:
Names and locations
Specific backstory events
How you got your powers or fighting style
Let's talk personality
Here's where you start to think about how your inspiration character talks.
Do they use humor or are they more serious? Sarcastic? Optimistic even when things are terrible?
Practice a few phrases in their voice. Seriously, it may feel a little awkward at first but it helps SO much at the table.
You don't need to do a full impression, just channel that energy when you roleplay. Personally, I like to have an edible (20mg limit for me) before a session, just so I'm in a more creative mood :)
Connect it all to your character sheet
Look at your character sheet and make sure your choices support your concept:
Ability Scores: Prioritize what your character is good at. Inosuke would have high DEX (sword skills), decent enough WIS (tracking), and high CON (surviving).
Skills: Pick skills that match your character's experience. What have they been doing for the past few years? Traveling the Underdark? Maybe they've been studying abroad on a different plane?
Equipment: Grab what's optimal first then a few items that tell your character's story.
Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws: This is where you transplant your inspiration's personality directly onto the sheet. These boxes are literally designed for this.
The backstory
Who were they before? (Their normal life)
What changed? (The moment everything was different)
What do they want now? (Why are they adventuring?)
That's it. You don't need ten pages just enough of a summary to give your DM something to work with.
Let your character evolve
Your character at session 1 isn't who they'll be at session 20.
You can try to plan a character arc for your little creation. Where do you want them to end up?
If you're pulling from Inosuke or Geralt, maybe your character starts as a lone wolf but learns to trust their party; that's a whole-ass character arc right there!
The best characters change based on what happens at the table. Let your character continue to grow and be shaped by the campaign.
