Skyrim is, by definition, an RPG, but it can be easy to forget what this actually means. Roleplaying Game implies that players aren't just playing through the game, but they are roleplaying as their in game character as they do it. Most players try and think about what their character would do in certain situations before acting, but some take it even further than this. It can be an extremely fun and rewarding experience to create a detailed character ahead of time with a backstory, aspirations, and a unique personality. taking on the game's challenges from a new perspective. Redditor Ghoulfrom-theCrypt has created a useful tool to help players with this.

While there are some roleplaying moments in Skyrim, much of it has to come from the player's mind. This character planning sheet has nothing to do with the player's actual in game build or anything like that, it's more meant to help players understand their character so they can make informed decisions.

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It reads much like the back of a Dungeons and Dragons character sheet, with the first thing that players will fill out being the character's name. Also in this upper portion are spaces for the basics like Race, Sex, Age, and Birthsign (ie. Standing Stone). These are all things that players choose at the very beginning of character creation. The next space is reserved for class, and this is where the creativity comes from. Skyrim doesn't have character classes, so players will need to make up what they want their class to be.

Likewise, the player character isn't given a real hometown or even a backstory, but with this planning sheet the player has full control over those details of their character. Next is personality, where players will place their character on a sliding scale between two opposite traits. For example, a short-tempered orc might find themselves close to the end of the violent spectrum, or an imperial soldier might be very law-abiding. This will be a major part in making decisions in the game. Players also have space to list their likes, dislikes, favored weapons, spells, and armor, and the like. Finally, the affiliations section lets players decide which of Skyrim's many factions they'd like to associate with and which their character would avoid.

Filling out Ghoulfrom-theCrypt's character planning sheet ahead of time can be a great way to play Skyrim differently. Many players find themselves getting stuck in their ways and sticking to the same kinds of builds over and over again, but with guidelines like these it's easier to break free of that and try new things. There is a link to the printable version of this in the comment section on the post above.

Skyrim is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

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