The great RPG debate: Defined playable characters or blank slates?

The great RPG debate: Defined playable characters or blank slates? | PC Gamer Skip to main content Open menu Close main menu PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES US Edition UK US Canada Australia Subscribe Sign in View Profile Sign out Search Search PC Gamer Games Hardware News Reviews Guides Video Forum More PC Gaming Show PC Gamer Clips Software Codes Coupons Movies & TV Magazine Newsletter Affiliate links Meet the team Community guidelines About PC Gamer PC Gamer Magazine SubscriptionWhy subscribe?Subscribe to the world’s #1 PC gaming magTry a single issue or save on a subscriptionIssues delivered straight to your door or device From$1Subscribe now Don’t miss these RPG Tabletop gaming saved videogame RPGs RPG Larian says Divinity’s character customisation will be ‘even better’ than Baldur’s Gate 3’s: ‘More colors, more options, more control’ MMO Question time: What role—tank, healer, or DPS—do you actually play in MMORPGS, and why? RPG Instead of difficulty, Obsidian designer Josh Sawyer thinks in terms of 3 RPG player archetypes: ‘What are they trying to get out of this game?’ RPG The dev behind my top upcoming RPG is a Hungarian chef who thought ‘if not now, then when?’ and learned coding from scratch to make his dream ‘eurojank’ masterpiece RPG I’m not waiting 5 years for everyone to realize The Outer Worlds 2 is another Obsidian classic—I’m giving it its flowers now Games Indie dev says ‘best I can do is sentient tofu’ after fans demand a male protagonist—they respond oh yeah, actually Mr Tofu works fine, thanks RPG A Baldur’s Gate 3-style early access period wouldn’t have done much for Deadfire, the secret best CRPG of the last decade, per its director Josh Sawyer RPG Larian publishing chief wades into the fray, says Morrowind updated with a modern combat system ‘would sell like f**king hotcakes’ RPG The best RPGs on PC RPG Baldur’s Gate 3’s lead writer hopes we won’t want to save scum in Divinity: ‘Our ambition is certainly to make failure more interesting’ RPG Larian’s main focus for Divinity is ‘to see how far we can push the diversity of companions’ so intra-NPC relationships can feel more natural and complex RPG I’m the biggest Baldur’s Gate 3 fan, but the HBO TV show is filling me with dread The Elder Scrolls Bethesda veteran says less RPG complexity in the Elder Scrolls series is good, actually: ‘We got rid of attributes in Skyrim and you know who complained? Almost nobody’ RPG Divinity: Original Sin 2’s brilliant armor system is one of a kind in RPGs, and I’m bummed we’ll apparently never see it again Popular PC Gamer ClipsCrimson DesertMarathonBest PC gearGDCQuizzes Games RPG The great RPG debate: Defined playable characters or blank slates? Features By Fraser Brown published 21 March 2026 Do you prefer predefined heroes like Geralt, or do you want to make your own from scratch? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter PC Gamer Get the PC Gamer Newsletter Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Every Friday GamesRadar+ Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you’re going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them. Signup + Every Thursday GTA 6 O’clock Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O’clock experts. Signup + Every Friday Knowledge From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what’s on the horizon. Signup + Every Thursday The Setup Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more. Signup + Every Wednesday Switch 2 Spotlight Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo’s new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play. Signup + Every Saturday The Watchlist Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we’ve got you covered. Signup + Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Dungeon MasterWelcome to Dungeon Master, PC Gamer’s regular RPG column, where Online Editor Fraser Brown (and guests) delves into PC gaming’s most beloved and enduring genre. Grab a seat in our badly-lit tavern and please ignore the goblin puke.What’s better? An RPG that gives you a pre-defined character with an immutable history and set-in-stone personality traits, or one that lets you just create whatever kind of hero (or villain) you fancy? It’s like comparing apples and oranges—by which I mean there’s absolutely a correct answer. Clearly apples are the superior choice.OK, maybe it’s a trickier question than I’m making it out to be. When I initially decided I wanted you lot to tell me what you prefer, my own answer seemed to be clear. I want blank slates. I’m an old-school roleplayer, so I like my RPGs to give me the freedom and flexibility of a tabletop game, crafting my adventurer instead of stepping into a pre-existing character’s shoes.These RPGs tend to be the ones with the most extensive roleplaying options and build potential, and they’re usually more fun to replay. I’m talking Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, Dragon Age (to a degree), Fallout and Skyrim. Easy, then! That’s my choice. Blank slates are apples.Article continues below You may like Tabletop gaming saved videogame RPGs Larian says Divinity’s character customisation will be ‘even better’ than Baldur’s Gate 3’s: ‘More colors, more options, more control’ Question time: What role—tank, healer, or DPS—do you actually play in MMORPGS, and why? Except, when I actually thought about the RPGs I love the most, with the stories I can’t get out of my head, they were just as often the ones with more defined protagonists. Mass Effect, The Witcher, Disco Elysium, Planescape Torment—all games I’m absolutely smitten with. What these games typically lack in buildcrafting fun, they tend to make up for with more resonant stor