by Matt Bird

Created on: January 27, 2010   Last Updated: March 22, 2012

What works for one man fails abysmally for another. This is true of just about anything, and it's certainly true for Dungeons and Dragons.

Creating a 'winning character' is, in the end, a matter of opinion. What seems to be the epitome of role playing perfection to one player is probably junk to another. The value of a character is based very much on personal taste - what kind of character you like to play, how much of an emphasis you place on role playing, how bent you are on getting a host of abilities and so forth.

'Winning' is also a debatable term. From a combat point of view a winning character is one that can not only beat enemies, but thoroughly trash them, and victory in this quarter requires character optimization. Just about any class can wind up good as long as you work on upping their stats, their AC, their HP and so forth. Acquiring as many ability-boosting pieces of equipment is a good goal for those who simply wish to dominate in combat, especially if you can acquire magical items with additional effects.

Or what if you prefer a skillful character who's of more use outside combat? A winning PC is more likely, in that case, to be a Rogue or other similar classes who get a ton of skill points. Hoarding intelligence points should be your path to victory in this case as they'll improve your skills by leaps and bounds with each level.

Or perhaps you view a winning character by the standards of role playing. In that case, a winning character is one who is both interesting to play and interesting to play with. Fully flush out their personality and get into the role, whatever it may be. Don't allow your character to become a sad sack who's only of use in a fight if you relish role playing or you'll be relegated to a simple game of imaginary numbers. Move away from your own personality and embrace something wholly different. The character may be weak in a scrap, but if they have a fun personality you'll win brownie points with the rest of your group.

In short, a winning character is what you make of it. When you're happy with your character, either via combat or skill or personality, you've got a winner. No class is worthless and all can be enjoyable during a game. Let your imagination run wild, try odd combinations and experiment at every turn. Dungeons and Dragons is fun because the rules are malleable, so play around with them and you'll probably discover gold in the most unlikely of places.

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