Defining Your Bard's Personality

Most of the other Complete Handbooks present sample personality types. It can be very useful to read over these sections to help you define your character's personality. Although such descriptions are colorful and useful, they just begin to establish the many facets that you should define for a bard.

Generating complete examples of individual bard personalities would take pages of text and would result in only a dozen options for you to choose from. For this reason, personality types are not presented in this handbook. Rather, the following section contains many traits of a character's personality, along with several examples of each trait.

Although examples under each trait are numbered, you should only roll randomly if you are having a hard time selecting an appropriate trait. Also note that randomly rolling every trait will likely result in combinations that make little sense or are unplayable. So go through and carefully select your character's traits. Keep in mind his kit, alignment, race, other traits, and all other elements that you have already defined.

Note that the examples under each trait are not exhaustive. Feel free to select any other descriptive term that could define the trait. You can also select one or more traits within a specific category if they aren't contradictory. Also, note that the following list of traits is far from complete. Selecting the following traits will help define your bard's persona and is a good start, but you should expand these descriptive terms in your own mind or on paper. Examine your character as a whole, then fill in the gaps and add some extra details.

Table 28: BARD TRAITS

Personality

Rationality

	1	Neurotic
	2	Normal
	3	Slightly insane
	4	Stable
	5	Unstable
	6	Very stable

Mannerism

	1	Careless
	2	Curious/Inquisitive
	3	Fanatical/Obsessive
	4	Perceptive
	5	Precise/Exacting
	6	Relaxed
	7	Retiring
	8	Somber
	9	Studious
	10	Suspicious/Cautious

Self-Esteem

	1	Egoist/Arrogant
	2	Humble
	3	Modest
	4	Proper
	5	Proud/Haughty
	6	Servile/Obsequious

Philosophy

	1	Altruist
	2	Benevolent
	3	Extroverted
	4	Hedonist
	5	Introverted
	6	Malevolent
	7	Optimist
	8	Pessimist

Intellect

	1	Active
	2	Anti-intellectual
	3	Average
	4	Brilliant
	5	Flighty
	6	Dull
	7	Ponderous
	8	Scheming

Bravery

	1	Brave
	2	Calculating
	3	Craven
	4	Fearless
	5	Foolhardy
	6	Normal

Morals

	1	Aesthetic
	2	Amoral
	3	Depraved
	4	Immoral
	5	Lustful
	6	Lusty
	7	Normal
	8	Perverted
	9	Sadistic
	10	Virtuous

Piety

	1	Average
	2	Iconoclastic
	3	Impious
	4	Irreligious
	5	Irreverent
	6	Martyr/ Zealot
	7	Pious
	8	Profane
	9	Reverent
	10	Saintly

Motivation

	1	Driven
	2	Energetic
	3	Lazy
	4	Motivated
	5	Normal
	6	Slothful

Interests

Hobbies

	1	Altruism
	2	Athletics
	3	Community service
	4	Dancing
	5	Exotic animals
	6	Fishing
	7	Foods & Preparation
	8	Gambling
	9	Handicrafts
	10	History
	11	Horticulture
	12	Hunting
	13	Husbandry
	14	Legends
	15	Nature
	16	None
	17	Politics
	18	Religion
	19	Smoking & Pipes
	20	Wines & Spirits

Loves

	1	Armor
	2	Artwork
	3	Books & Scrolls
	4	Coins & Tokens
	5	Knives & Daggers
	6	Minerals & Gems
	7	Ornaments & Jewelry
	8	Porcelain, China, & Crystal
	9	Shields & Weapons
	10	Swords
	11	Trophies & Skins
	12	Weapons

Fears

	1	Caves
	2	Enclosed places
	3	Crowds
	4	Dark
	5	Dying
	6	Heights
	7	Horses
	8	Insects
	9	Loneliness
	10	Pain
	11	Poison
	12	Priests
	13	Sight of own blood
	14	Snakes
	15	Spiders
	16	Torture
	17	Traps
	18	Undead
	19	Water
	20	Wizards

Hates

	1	Authority
	2	Bad food
	3	Beggars
	4	Braggarts
	5	Bullies
	6	Greed
	7	Guards
	8	Heretics
	9	Laws
	10	Lower class
	11	Farmers
	12	Priests
	13	Rival clan
	14	Selfishness
	15	Stupidity
	16	Thieves
	17	Big cities
	18	Upper class
	19	Warriors
	20	Wizards

Relationships

Allies

	1	Baker
	2	Beggars
	3	Blacksmith
	4	Constable
	5	Foreigner
	6	Innkeeper
	7	King
	8	Local college
	9	Mayor
	10	Merchant
	11	Prince
	12	Princess
	13	Sage
	14	Sheriff
	15	Slave master
	16	Tavern master
	17	Thief
	18	Thieves' Guild
	19	Warrior
	20	Wizard

Foes

	1	Beggars
	2	Criminals
	3	Dragons
	4	Dwarves
	5	Elves
	6	Gnomes
	7	Half-elves
	8	Half-races
	9	Halflings
	10	Highwaymen
	11	Humans
	12	Lizard men
	13	Lower class
	14	Nonhumans
	15	Planar beings
	16	Ruffians
	17	Thieves
	18	Underworlders
	19	Upper class
	20	Use ally list

Manner

	1	Abrasive
	2	Antagonistic
	3	Blustering
	4	Capricious/Mischievous
	5	Compassionate/Sensitive
	6	Courteous
	7	Diplomatic
	8	Forceful
	9	Foul/Barbaric
	10	Helpful/Kindly
	11	Hostile
	12	Opinionated/Contrary
	13	Overbearing
	14	Practical joker/Prankster
	15	Rash
	16	Rude
	17	Trusting
	18	Vengeful
	19	Violent/War-like
	20	Well-spoken

Mood/Disposition

	1	Aloof
	2	Cheerful
	3	Cruel/Callous
	4	Easygoing
	5	Even-tempered
	6	Forgiving
	7	Hard-hearted
	8	Harsh
	9	Hot-tempered
	10	Pleasant
	11	Moody
	12	Silly
	13	Peaceful
	14	Reserved
	15	Scheming
	16	Soft-hearted
	17	Solitary/Secretive
	18	Taciturn
	19	Unfeeling/Insensitive
	20	Unforgiving

Honesty

	1	Average
	2	Deceitful
	3	Liar
	4	Scrupulous
	5	Truthful
	6	Very honorable

Appearance/Possessions

General

	1	Dandyish
	2	Dignified
	3	Foppish
	4	Imposing
	5	Slob
	6	Spartan
	7	Stately
	8	Typical

Quantity

	1	Above Average
	2	Abundant
	3	Average
	4	Exceptional
	5	Few
	6	Scant

Quality

	1	Cheap
	2	Durable
	3	Garish
	4	Functional
	5	High
	6	Junk
	7	Kingly
	8	Low
	9	Practical
	10	Trash

Personal Habits

	1	Disheveled
	2	Immaculate
	3	Nonchalant
	4	Organized
	5	Perfectionist
	6	Prim and proper
	7	Scatterbrained
	8	Sloppy

State of Clothing

	1	Clean
	2	Dirty
	3	Immaculate
	4	Ragged
	5	Rough
	6	Unkempt

Thrift

	1	Ascetic
	2	Average
	3	Charitable
	4	Covetous
	5	Generous
	6	Greedy
	7	Miserly
	8	Spendthrift
	9	Thrifty
	10	Wastrel

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