An In-Depth Character Template & A Writer's Guide

[Lara Croft]

This was created in an effort to improve the skill of the writers on the site, or help out newer writers, or do something that just adds more umph to the roleplay. This template and these tips were in NO WAY created to replace the stat-based template that we officially use or the roleplay's rules. I made this simply so that, in your free time, you could have a character tracker that gave more in-depth descriptions of your characters.

The guidelines, tips and hints are made to go along with this template but there are a few who stand separate. Remember to read those so that they can help you out along the road and so that you can improve your writing skills as time goes on. I consider this a very important addition to any Omniverser's arsenal and a gateway to improving yourself even if you are an expert, so please post any questions about writing,  or the template or anything else that has to do with this thread, give suggestions about how to improve the template or give guidelines, tips and/or hints that I can add to the post. Thank you for participating.

For further clarification and in case you didn't understand what this is for, the following application and information after it are solely for improving yourself. They are an educational source, and something for fun, to improve your writing skills and provide more information on your characters so that others and yourself can get to know them better.

General Information

Full Name: (The quintessential name is most obvious in what it's supposed to be, just put your character's full name here. If your character doesn't have a full name in their canon it is up to you, the player, whether or not to choose if you want them to have a full name.)
Title: (If your character is a King or a Queen or a noble of some sort, or has a military ranking, then that's your title. That is what you put here, you don't put anything else, no "The Great Destroyer" and if they're an "Emperor of Destruction" make sure that's an actual rank or title because otherwise that goes in "Also Known As")
Pronunciation: (Adding pronunciation to your character's basic information is completely up to you but if it's something difficult to pronounce, or it's spelled unusually, or it is a name of your own creation speak each syllable of the name outloud and put what you hear down in this section)
Name Meaning: (The name meaning section is mostly for informative purposes or for cool factor, and it provides more depth to a roleplay so whatever your name may be put it down here)
Also Known As: (This section is different from Nicknames and Aliases because these are what your character is also known as. Sure you can have "Argorn, The Destroyer of Worlds" or something like that but what if they are known as the "Pale One with the Silver Tongue"? Adding that would kind of ruin your mojo so place their "cool" AKA's here)
Nickname(s): (Nicknames are things that your character gets over time, or already had in canon. If someone comes up with one or if they already some in canon put the nicknames here. Remember to update this periodically. If there are any that are too similar (ie. Exactly the same but spelled differently) then take the one you like the most and stick it on here. If there are so many that they take up a bunch of space make a list of the ones you'll keep, take the canon ones that you won't and delete them)
Alias(es): (Aliases are like your full name except they are false names, so if your character is named Emerson Jones Bennet then maybe they change their name to Emerson Bennet Jones, or Bennet Emerson Jones, or something like that for a false name to exist)
Symbol: (If your character has a symbol you can put the picture, link, or written description here. If it's a written description I recommend at least two paragraphs to really hammer out the details, with information ranging from background color, to shading, to shapes, and even where you can see the symbol the written description can get pretty lengthy. A plus is that it you make a lengthy written description you can hammer out the details with a GFX artist here on the Omniverse and get a custom made symbol)
ID Number: (If your character can be identified by any numbers or letters please put that here or just delete this sectiom entirely, but remember if they are or were a prisoner or criminal or government official or have a bounty on them the ID number should go here)
Theme Song: (After days of searching for the proper theme song for your character you've earned the chance to put it here!)
Voice Actor: (Here you provide the name of your character's voice actor and a link to video or audio of them speaking, preferably all in one by using the URL tag)

Age: (If you wanna put your character's age in years or months or whatever just write those numbers here and put "Years Old" or "Weeks Old" or something like that afterwards)
Gender: (This is self-explanatory, whether your character is a robot or human or not doesn't matter because even if they are female or have Feminine Programming or have no gender at all you put that information here, if they are transexual or transgender or a crossdresser place what gender they identify as and then what gender they are biologically)
Race: (I decided to condense Race and Species into one thing, so if your character is a wraith but belongs to a specific race or is a vampire but belongs to a specific clan place "Sand Wraith" or "Wysterian Vampire" or something like that)
Occupation: (This is what your character does for a living, it's their main job, the thing that brings in the profit and all their cool gadgets, or relics, or training or whatever it is you get in return)

Moral Alignment: (This is the moral alignment of your character, and it can range from Lawful Good to Chaotic Evil with all the other stuff that's in between)
Faction: (This is the faction your character belongs to at the current moment, so there's not much else to say here)
Known Associates: (Your known associates are the people your character hangs with, or the people who are their bosses or subordinates)
Family: (Putting down your character's family is entirely optional, but please remember this is only their closest relatives and doesn't extend to their 87th removed cousins)

Primary Objectives: (These objectives are the ones that your character strives for constantly, it's the most important ones, the ones that are their end goals)
Secondary Objectives: (What does your character hope to achieve along the road as they complete their primary objectives? This can be anything from learning to play piano to conquering a Verse depending on how big their primary objectives are)
Priorities: (What does your character put above all else in achieving their objectives? Is it the safety of others, ensuring their own survival? Put your list here)
Motivation: (This is self explanatory, what motivates your character?)

Psychological Characteristics

Written Personality: (In your written personality you need to show us that you know the character, so please write two or more paragraphs here)

Known Languages: (These are the languages that your character knows how to speak or at least write in, or both or vice versa)
Lures: (What is your character drawn towards?)
Turn Offs: (What pushes your character away from someone or something?)
Information Recall: (How well can your character recall things? This ranges from short term memory, to average, to an eidetic memory or something just a notch short of a photographic memory)
Manias: (What is your character dangerously obsessed with, is it pyromania or something else?)
Phobias: (What is your character irrationally afraid of? If you don't know the name you can use Google or be directed to the nifty important resources link)
Hobbies: (What are your characters hobbies, what exactly are the things they do in their past time without it being their job?)

Attitude: (What is your character's attitude most of the time?)
Outlook on Life: (How does your character see life? Is it a realist dismal or happy or something else?)
Perception: (How does your character perceive their situation? Optimistically, pessimistically, sadistically, masochistically, ideally, or even realistically? C'mon think!)
Standpoint: (What standpoint does your character view the world from? It can be the view of a conquerer, that of a God, or a nurturer)
Philosophy: (What philosophy or quote or statement sums up your character in one swift movement?)

Spiritual Characteristics:

Spirit Animal: (If your character had a spirit animal, just one spirit animal, what would it be? With how large media is and how green our planet is you can afford to be a little creative with this. Meaning if your character is a shapeshifter maybe their spirit animal could be Ditto or something?)
Religion: (This is your character's religion, remember that if you're a Sith or something similar or perceived as a Deity your character most likely is of that religion)
Devotion: (How devoted to their religion is your chatacter? Are they wholly devoted and willing to burn heretics at the stake or do they never even go to church?)
Virtues: (Does your character exhibit Chastity, Charity, Temperance, Diligence, Humility, Kindness, Patience, or Justice? You can pick more than one, but only choose from those listed)
Vices: (Does your character indulge themselves in Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, Pride, Envy or Despair? Please list at least one of these, or however many explain your character)

Supernatural, Statistical, & Combat Attributes:

Statistics: (This is where you put your character's stats)

Attack -
Speed -
Defense -
Technique -

Site Powers: (Site Powers are powers your character has from the site)
Transformations: (These are your character's transformations, alternate forms, and power ups)
Assists: (These are your character's assists, which you may or may not want to flesh out with an edited version or even the full version of this template)
Moves: (Moves from the site go here)

Character Abilities: (Character Abilities are superpowers given a more in-depth description, so you have a character with Necromancy... Well you put down at least two paragraphs of information on that here, same with pyrokinesis, magnetokinesis, and a bunch of other stuff)
Restrictions: (These are the things your character can't do, can't affect, or limits such as range and other stuff for your character's abilities)
Origins: (The Origins of your character abilities can be anything from being born with them to absorbing them from someone else)
Source: (A character's power source is where they get their powers from, it can be from an item like a ring or it can be from an extradimensional world of darkness for those who are umbrakinetics like Raven)

Signature Move: (Your character's signature move is what they are known for, such as a Sharingan ability or Iron Man's repulsors or Lara Croft's bow)
Specialty: (Does your character specialize in ranged combat, martial arts, area attacks like demolitions, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, other types of illusions, telepathy or something similar? Whatever your character's specialty is goes here)
Strengths: (Your strengths in combat are the things tour character is good at during a fight, such as long range combat, close quarters combat, electronic warfare, stealth, telepathic attacks, acrobatic combat, aerial combat, defense and similar)
Weaknesses: (Weaknesses are explained by strengths except you do the opposite when you list them, instead of looking at what your character is good at you look at what you're character is bad at, doesn't have a lot of training in, or just has a weak link in)

Apparel

Wardrobe Style: (Does your cgaracter wear gothic clothing, formal clothing? This is what they usually wear)
Common Accessories: (What accessories does your character usually have on them? This can be anything from a necklace to a hair pin)
Equipment: (This is your character's equipment)
Weapons: (An in-depth description of your weapons goes here)
Armor: (An in-depth description of your armor goes here)
Artifacts: (Artifacts and the history behind getting them goes here with at least two paragraphs of history and a link to the thread you acquired them in placed here)
Other Items: (Other items that don't go in the categories anove go here)

Biography

Here you put all the sections in your character's history and write a few paragraphs from each of them or simply give three paragraphs


The Code

[spoiler]

Code:

[size=150][b]General Information[/b][/size]

[b]Full Name:[/b] (The quintessential name is most obvious in what it's supposed to be, just put your character's full name here. If your character doesn't have a full name in their canon it is up to you, the player, whether or not to choose if you want them to have a full name.)
[b]Title:[/b] (If your character is a King or a Queen or a noble of some sort, or has a military ranking, then that's your title. That is what you put here, you don't put anything else, no "The Great Destroyer" and if they're an "Emperor of Destruction" make sure that's an actual rank or title because otherwise that goes in "Also Known As")
[b]Pronunciation:[/b] (Adding pronunciation to your character's basic information is completely up to you but if it's something difficult to pronounce, or it's spelled unusually, or it is a name of your own creation speak each syllable of the name outloud and put what you hear down in this section)
[b]Name Meaning:[/b] (The name meaning section is mostly for informative purposes or for cool factor, and it provides more depth to a roleplay so whatever your name may be put it down here)
[b]Also Known As:[/b] (This section is different from Nicknames and Aliases because these are what your character is also known as. Sure you can have "Argorn, The Destroyer of Worlds" or something like that but what if they are known as the "Pale One with the Silver Tongue"? Adding that would kind of ruin your mojo so place their "cool" AKA's here)
[b]Nickname(s):[/b] (Nicknames are things that your character gets over time, or already had in canon. If someone comes up with one or if they already some in canon put the nicknames here. Remember to update this periodically. If there are any that are too similar (ie. Exactly the same but spelled differently) then take the one you like the most and stick it on here. If there are so many that they take up a bunch of space make a list of the ones you'll keep, take the canon ones that you won't and delete them)
[b]Alias(es):[/b] (Aliases are like your full name except they are false names, so if your character is named Emerson Jones Bennet then maybe they change their name to Emerson Bennet Jones, or Bennet Emerson Jones, or something like that for a false name to exist)
[b]Symbol:[/b] (If your character has a symbol you can put the picture, link, or written description here. If it's a written description I recommend at least two paragraphs to really hammer out the details, with information ranging from background color, to shading, to shapes, and even where you can see the symbol the written description can get pretty lengthy. A plus is that it you make a lengthy written description you can hammer out the details with a GFX artist here on the Omniverse and get a custom made symbol)
[b]ID Number:[/b] (If your character can be identified by any numbers or letters please put that here or just delete this sectiom entirely, but remember if they are or were a prisoner or criminal or government official or have a bounty on them the ID number should go here)
[b]Theme Song:[/b] (After days of searching for the proper theme song for your character you've earned the chance to put it here!)
[b]Voice Actor:[/b] (Here you provide the name of your character's voice actor and a link to video or audio of them speaking, preferably all in one by using the URL tag)

[b]Age:[/b] (If you wanna put your character's age in years or months or whatever just write those numbers here and put "Years Old" or "Weeks Old" or something like that afterwards)
[b]Gender:[/b] (This is self-explanatory, whether your character is a robot or human or not doesn't matter because even if they are female or have Feminine Programming or have no gender at all you put that information here, if they are transexual or transgender or a crossdresser place what gender they identify as and then what gender they are biologically)
[b]Race:[/b] (I decided to condense Race and Species into one thing, so if your character is a wraith but belongs to a specific race or is a vampire but belongs to a specific clan place "Sand Wraith" or "Wysterian Vampire" or something like that)
[b]Occupation:[/b] (This is what your character does for a living, it's their main job, the thing that brings in the profit and all their cool gadgets, or relics, or training or whatever it is you get in return)

[b]Moral Alignment:[/b] (This is the moral alignment of your character, and it can range from Lawful Good to Chaotic Evil with all the other stuff that's in between)
[b]Faction:[/b] (This is the faction your character belongs to at the current moment, so there's not much else to say here)
[b]Known Associates:[/b] (Your known associates are the people your character hangs with, or the people who are their bosses or subordinates)
[b]Family:[/b] (Putting down your character's family is entirely optional, but please remember this is only their closest relatives and doesn't extend to their 87th removed cousins)

[b]Primary Objectives:[/b] (These objectives are the ones that your character strives for constantly, it's the most important ones, the ones that are their end goals)
[b]Secondary Objectives:[/b] (What does your character hope to achieve along the road as they complete their primary objectives? This can be anything from learning to play piano to conquering a Verse depending on how big their primary objectives are)
[b]Priorities:[/b] (What does your character put above all else in achieving their objectives? Is it the safety of others, ensuring their own survival? Put your list here)
[b]Motivation:[/b] (This is self explanatory, what motivates your character?)

[size=150][b]Psychological Characteristics[/b][/size]

[b]Written Personality:[/b] (In your written personality you need to show us that you know the character, so please write two or more paragraphs here)

[b]Known Languages:[/b] (These are the languages that your character knows how to speak or at least write in, or both or vice versa)
[b]Lures:[/b] (What is your character drawn towards?)
[b]Turn Offs:[/b] (What pushes your character away from someone or something?)
[b]Information Recall:[/b] (How well can your character recall things? This ranges from short term memory, to average, to an eidetic memory or something just a notch short of a photographic memory)
[b]Manias:[/b] (What is your character dangerously obsessed with, is it pyromania or something else?)
[b]Phobias:[/b] (What is your character irrationally afraid of? If you don't know the name you can use Google or be directed to the nifty important resources link)
[b]Hobbies:[/b] (What are your characters hobbies, what exactly are the things they do in their past time without it being their job?)

[b]Attitude:[/b] (What is your character's attitude most of the time?)
[b]Outlook on Life:[/b] (How does your character see life? Is it a realist dismal or happy or something else?)
[b]Perception:[/b] (How does your character perceive their situation? Optimistically, pessimistically, sadistically, masochistically, ideally, or even realistically? C'mon think!)
[b]Standpoint:[/b] (What standpoint does your character view the world from? It can be the view of a conquerer, that of a God, or a nurturer)
[b]Philosophy:[/b] (What philosophy or quote or statement sums up your character in one swift movement?)

[size=150][b]Spiritual Characteristics:[/b][/size]

[b]Spirit Animal:[/b] (If your character had a spirit animal, just one spirit animal, what would it be? With how large media is and how green our planet is you can afford to be a little creative with this. Meaning if your character is a shapeshifter maybe their spirit animal could be Ditto or something?)
[b]Religion:[/b] (This is your character's religion, remember that if you're a Sith or something similar or perceived as a Deity your character most likely is of that religion)
[b]Devotion:[/b] (How devoted to their religion is your chatacter? Are they wholly devoted and willing to burn heretics at the stake or do they never even go to church?)
[b]Virtues:[/b] (Does your character exhibit Chastity, Charity, Temperance, Diligence, Humility, Kindness, Patience, or Justice? You can pick more than one, but only choose from those listed)
[b]Vices:[/b] (Does your character indulge themselves in Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, Pride, Envy or Despair? Please list at least one of these, or however many explain your character)

[size=150][b]Supernatural, Statistical, & Combat Attributes:[/b][/size]

[b]Statistics:[/b] (This is where you put your character's stats)

[i]Attack -[/i]
[i]Speed -[/i]
[i]Defense -[/i]
[i]Technique -[/i]

[b]Site Powers:[/b] (Site Powers are powers your character has from the site)
[b]Transformations:[/b] (These are your character's transformations, alternate forms, and power ups)
[b]Assists:[/b] (These are your character's assists, which you may or may not want to flesh out with an edited version or even the full version of this template)
[b]Moves:[/b] (Moves from the site go here)

[b]Character Abilities:[/b] (Character Abilities are superpowers given a more in-depth description, so you have a character with Necromancy... Well you put down at least two paragraphs of information on that here, same with pyrokinesis, magnetokinesis, and a bunch of other stuff)
[b]Restrictions:[/b] (These are the things your character can't do, can't affect, or limits such as range and other stuff for your character's abilities)
[b]Origins:[/b] (The Origins of your character abilities can be anything from being born with them to absorbing them from someone else)
[b]Source:[/b] (A character's power source is where they get their powers from, it can be from an item like a ring or it can be from an extradimensional world of darkness for those who are umbrakinetics like Raven)

[b]Signature Move:[/b] (Your character's signature move is what they are known for, such as a Sharingan ability or Iron Man's repulsors or Lara Croft's bow)
[b]Specialty:[/b] (Does your character specialize in ranged combat, martial arts, area attacks like demolitions, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, other types of illusions, telepathy or something similar? Whatever your character's specialty is goes here)
[b]Strengths:[/b] (Your strengths in combat are the things tour character is good at during a fight, such as long range combat, close quarters combat, electronic warfare, stealth, telepathic attacks, acrobatic combat, aerial combat, defense and similar)
[b]Weaknesses:[/b] (Weaknesses are explained by strengths except you do the opposite when you list them, instead of looking at what your character is good at you look at what you're character is bad at, doesn't have a lot of training in, or just has a weak link in)

[size=150][b]Apparel[/b][/size]

[b]Wardrobe Style:[/b] (Does your cgaracter wear gothic clothing, formal clothing? This is what they usually wear)
[b]Common Accessories:[/b] (What accessories does your character usually have on them? This can be anything from a necklace to a hair pin)
[b]Equipment:[/b] (This is your character's equipment)
[b]Weapons:[/b] (An in-depth description of your weapons goes here)
[b]Armor:[/b] (An in-depth description of your armor goes here)
[b]Artifacts:[/b] (Artifacts and the history behind getting them goes here with at least two paragraphs of history and a link to the thread you acquired them in placed here)
[b]Other Items:[/b] (Other items that don't go in the categories anove go here)

[size=150][b]Biography[/b][/size]

[b]Here you put all the sections in your character's history and write a few paragraphs from each of them or simply give three paragraphs[/b]

[/spoiler]

---

A Universal List of Roleplaying 'Rules' & Guidelines:

• On the RP set a minimum word requirement of 600 words. Type vigilantly, explain your character's sensory experiences and their thoughts between each action. That's how I get at least 800 words alongside one action or attack, I take a lot into account and other people especially help. So like you're going on a treasure hunt with -the- Lara Croft. A fucking -treasure hunt-, like out of the movies. Ask yourself if A) Your character would care, B) What their thoughts would be. Oh, and even questions that they ask themselves, like have them marvel at the heat.
• Oh, and for the RP start a folder called "The Omniverse", make a section for characters and put each of your characters in it. Take the time to really flesh your characters out, even if they'de just NPC's. Make a character tracker if you have to. Add things like Age, History, Personality, and Gender, and Occupation, and Alignment, Likes and Dislikes. Include their Powers, Skills, Abilities, and Hobbies. Flesh those out with at least a paragraph for non-powers and abilities and two paragraphs for powers and abilities. Add weaknesses and limitations, weaknesses are similar to limitations but apply to powers and abilities only. Likewise, limitations apply other things, such as personal flaws and weaknesses. Think about what they're limited to power wise and personality wise, for limitations think about if they are scared of anything or if they are reliant upon anything. Provide paragraph, which are five to seven, two or more line sentences each, or more on weaknesses and limitations. If people have questions you can either update your character sheets with an F.A.Q. page or add in extra paragraphs based on the questions, providing a detailed answer to the question in a way that flows with the character. Include a picture of your character at the top, and add a quote from them below it. Make sure the quote is centered along with the picture, though. The picture should be one that you consider the best, it can be as realistic or cartoonish as possible but remember that this is how people will view your character. Add a list of common apparel, equipment, and weapons, and accessories. Provide information on each of these, a little snippet or even the entire history of a piece or jewelry will do but for weapons and equipment provide a detailed overview and make sure you make a note as to whether or not the character can currently use these in character. Remember this is a more in-depth character template and isn't the stat sheet used in roster ᜀ• In a post tell how they did something, what did it feel like? It doesn't have to be too in depth, as to preserve quality and not reduce it to gibberish about the ridiculous accurate examination of a steak that looked like it came out of a science book, but remember that a lot of the posts made with high word content include a lot of filler. That's what good writers do, they provide filler content that has substance and not only provides information but provides details and thoughts and feelings and senses that really bring a post together and make it feel more realistic. Don't be too afraid to ask someone for help, ever, and take notes, make to-do lists.

Tips & Hints: Tips & Hints are either specific or general purpose points of advice that are short little snippets of information and provide 

• When making RP posts separate words from actions with double quotations marks, and use double quotation marks even if you don't have any actions
• Ellipses are best used for a long, or short pause, and may not always get your point across so for a long pause do this. "Speech here," he paused for a few moments, "speech here." H
• Take everything into account, and once every three months re-write everything from scratch to see how well you've progressed.
• Get a dictionary application or an app that provides one new word a day, and get the application called Eidetic. It helps you get the word stuck in your memory, this word may have future uses for you in bringing new alternative words to RP posts.
• Using alternative words prevents repetitive writing, switch between them and even tephrase sentences to avoid repetitiveness
•The best way to increase productivity for RP'ing, and life in general, is to work for ninety minutes and then take a 30 minute break. Like if it's Saturday and you want to hammer out a beautiful character sheet for your favorite NPC remember this so that you don't get too tired of posting

Important Links & Resources & Why You Need Them:

A Wikia on Superpowers - The Superpower Wikia may not be perfect but it is a good place to get a view on superpowers for your character and their names. It has a built in search engine, can be mobile friendly, has a mobile application, can easily be navigated, and if you search a power by another name that is registered it will show what you need. It gives an idea of weaknesses, but I suggest writing those yourself.
How to Avoid Writer's Block - Superhero Nation is an amazing website written by an amazing author, and while this, at the time of first writing it, was the only link to their website you can consider this site more than useful for things other than writer's block

[Miranda Frost]

thanks for the link on writer's block

[Lara Croft]

thanks for the link on writer's block

You're welcome, if you find any other artiles on that site or anroad on writing tips, guidelines, and otherwise anything to do with writing please PM me the links and a short summary (about ad long as the ones I provided) on why the writers need it.