Role vs Class

I saw a YouTube video discussing backstory. I know backstory is not super popular in OSR spaces, but I like running game with background. The YouTuber expressed a tension between players wanting to introduce their own elements into the game world and the GM maintaining the cohesion of their setting. 

A session zero seems like it would help with this but why not cut it off at the pass? What if your classes were specifically built from the beginning to fit into a niche in the world? The Fighter is a generic idea. Anyone could be a fighter if they pick up a weapon and use it. Now if the Fighter is a Blossom Knight of the Order of Song with institutional links to their Order and an established place in the world, then their niche in the setting is defined before the player even picks the Role.

This has become the way the community has about character creation for Free Character Roleplay. The idea of a Class says a lot about the setting. It implies "there are a lot of people just like you." Role is a little different. It assumes the character has a unique role in the setting. Now this doesn't mean that they are the only person remotely like them but it does mean that they are uniquely situated. For instance, in my Weird Wanderings game, one of my Roles was Witch of the Witchwood. There were other witches in the setting and even other witches with specified domains but there is only one Witch of the Witchwood. Baked into this Role, also is some backstory. The previous Witch of the Witchwood has just died under mysterious circumstances, and it was going to be up to the player to discover the truth and fill her witchy shoes.

This is not to say that there isn't room for customization. Quite the opposite. 

To begin, I presented my characters with general descriptions of each of the Roles I had prepared. For example:

The Witch of the Woods: Ding dong the witch is dead! Long live the witch! You've recently found yourself elevated from apprentice to full witch after your mistress' murder. She was the Witch of the Witchwood for years beyond counting. You are young and untested in the eyes of the Fair Folk. You must get the respect of the wood's denizens, keep harmony between mankind and the Fairy, and solve the murder of your mistress.

Then I asked questions and my players answered them. I had a general idea of what I wanted the load out of these classes to be and I asked questions until it seemed like the player had selected a decent amount of fitting kit.

For example:

Ref: You are The Witch of the Woods or at least you are now that your mistress is dead. As you enter the cottage where you know her body lay, you think of the first time you came here.

Which of the following is true?

• You were sold to your mistress as a youth and had to prove yourself as a servant before becoming her apprentice.
• She found you abandoned and alone and took you in to raise like her own child. 
• You sought her out yourself, determined to become a witch and managed to wear her down into accepting you.

Player: Third one.

Ref: You are Willful.

What tests did you have to overcome to prove yourself? What did you learn from that time?

Player: The Test of Humility, I was once a noble princess who sought to turn the woods into a barony for my father.

The witch made me feel hunger, uncleanliness and true loneliness for the first time.

Ref: You are Humble. You get along with the meek and can assuage the wrath of the mighty. 

What kind of spell did you learn out of that lesson of humility?

Player: The Spell Oozeform, to turn myself into a great living sludge, manipulate my Phlegm, a test to humor my maturity.

Ref: You do you, I suppose. You are skilled in Phlegmomancy, turning yourself into ooze and manipulating your phlegm.

Player: Hawk Tuah

Ref: Why

You can't do this to me.

After a few more questions, the player's character sheet looks like:

You are The Witch of the Woods.

You are...

• Willful
• Humble
• Persuasive

You are skilled in...

• Phlegmomancy
• Sickly Protection

You possess Your Mistress' Cottage and its contents.

You are followed by Your Immortal Familiar, Baby Bon the Bunny

I've really been wrestling with how to present this manner of character creation to others interested in running games like this. It's honestly kind of tricky. On one hand, I could lay all the options in front of the player from the get go and that seems sensible but it also feels less magical. There's something about the step by step question and answer that I really like but I didn't plan every question in advance. I adapted to the player's answers.

I did have some player's questions more planned out but even after that, I asked some further questions to fill out the sheet.

For example:

You are the Highwayman. Your journey to folk hero status started when you were young.

Which of the following is true?

1. You rescued your younger sibling and several more people from your village from the clutches of Cloud Giant Raiders. You received a gift from the Cloud Witch Zabubu to aid you on your quest:

• A bag of disgruntled winds.
• A cloak of feathers that turns you into a bird.
• A golden harp whose song is so lovely it puts others to sleep.

2. You dealt with a troll that was eating your village's sheep by trickery. From the troll you gained:

• A Troll Purse: a hopping, slobbering, toothy fashion piece that can carry items and deliver a nasty bite.
• A sword crafted by legendary troll smiths of the north that sunders stone as easily as flesh.
• A friend. The troll follows you as your one and only fellow bandit.

3. You saved a fairy woman from her horrible centaur husband. As a reward she gave you:

• Her friendship. She follows you around as a glowing helpful but slightly annoying sprite.
• A bag of flying dust. Happy thoughts required.
• A mask that turns you into a rabbit.

So, as you can tell, despite these Roles being far more defined in their niche than a Class usually is, there's still plenty of room for customization.

If that seems far too long-winded, here's a much more simple version I used for my Crownless game:

You are a Street Preacher

You have fought a mostly lonely battle against darkness for a long time now. Most of those who you once fought beside are lost now.

Who inducted you into the order? Who was a friend who is now a foe?

You use Miracles. It is the last blessing of the gods that mortals might do as they did, emptying themselves for the good of the world. Each time you use your divine power, you lose some of yourself that you can never regain. What does it cost you? How will it kill you one day?

You naturally tap into the Unseen World for you have Eyes to See. You can sense the working of evil magic and the presence of dark creatures. What have you faced before? What scar did it leave?

What do you believe in? Why do you fight? (Pick two of the following)

• Justice: The guilty must be punished and the innocent protected. You can use your Miracles to Smite the Wicked.
• Mercy: The world is sick and the people are too. Feed the hungry. Heal the sick. You can use your Miracles to Heal What is Broken.
• Freedom: Free the captives. Break every chain. You can use your Miracles to Pass Unseen.
• Valor: The strong must protect the weak. You can use your Miracles to Shield the Faithful.
• Wisdom: The world is lost in ignorance. Show them the way. You can use your Miracles to See Through Lies.

You have a Trick Weapon of astonishing construction. What is it? Who has felt its wrath?

You are Like Batman in terms of physical strength and agility. Who fears you?

You have Friends in Low Places. Who helps you when you need it?

As I am writing this, I think there is a lot of overlap between Roles and Classes especially more specific ones for a unique setting, but I think the emphasis of the Role is different. The Role is perhaps more like a pre generated character but instead of defining everything about the character, choices and blank spaces are left in. Moreover, the role draws your attention more to what motivates and drives the character. A Fighter fights. The Witch of the Woods must maintain the balance of the fairy and mortal worlds while discovering who killed her mistress. A Wizard casts spells. The Highwayman is a dashing rogue who steals from the rich to give to his colorful band of misfits.

One way we've discussed this in the FFR community (message me for a link to the Discord) is in terms of Niche and Turf.

Niche is the stuff that your Role is uniquely situated to explore. Factions the character is apart of. Unique ways they navigate the world (airship, portals to other realms), and unique things they interact with (Dragonslayer fights dragons, Witches have a particular standing among fairies. Highwayman has a reputation among no-hopers, jokers, and rogues.)

Turf: Something to defend. Lovable companions. Faction goals. Duties and obligations. Ideals to fight for.

Ideally your Role offers both Niche and Turf. The key is grounding the character in the setting and giving them something to do rather than leaving that totally up to the player to come up with.

Conclusion:

I've found this method very fun. It generates memorable characters with a little bit of meat to them but avoids the twenty page backstory.