I don't know why I'm talking so much about Kemuri.
Ummm...anyways...I've found some character designing help article thingies (a long time ago...you can see I'm bored, which is why I'm making this post). So I'll post the ones I seem to have saved...O.o; Maybe they'll help you.
This one is from a Fire Emblem RP website that I should get on more (I made a nice character, but I lost the file for her...O.o; So everything I wrote about her is lost. But I do remember that she was some white warrior thing):
"CODE
Name:
Nation: (See the list of nations. N/A if this doesn't apply).
Age: (Note that laguz and branded age slower than beorc).
Race:
Appearance: (Describe your character's looks and clothing. Minimum of one five-sentence paragraph).
Personality: (Describe your character's behaviour. Minimum of one five-sentence paragraph).
Biography: (Your character's backstory. Minimum two five-sentence paragraphs).
Class and Level
Weapon Levels: (Will be given upon grading).
Weapons:
Notice this half of this is stock fields, which you should breeze through, but I'll go over anyway.
Name: Names are a special thing despite their simplicity, and you should choose one you like. People often give names that are special to them to characters, or often because of a meaning. That would be my advice. Name your character as you see fit, but try to give it meaning. If you are gearing the character towards a theme, make it relevant, though be sure to keep within the boundaries of normal language. Speaking of language, it's always good to focus on one, as that will help your character's name sound thought-out and authentic. Avoid using names that are well-known and please stay away from characters from your favorite show, movie, manga, etc. like couch potatoes from a lawn mower. That is an instant way to lower expectations and respect for a character.
Nation: Straightforward and easy, pick a nation that you like. Remember, though, it should make sense. You can have a laguz come from Daein, but it's not likely at all, because they are hated and persecuted. Likewise, a beorc fire mage would not come from Gallia. Try to stay within reasonable bounds.
Age: Even more straightforward, pick an age, any age. Keep in mind that a high-level character will, barring exceptions, almost never be anywhere near their teens or early twenties. Age will also relate to biography, which I'll explain in more detail. Also, age relates to levels. A laguz over 100 years old is at the halfway point of their natural lifespan, and more than likely wouldn't be a low level. For follow up on this for laguz, see here.
Race: There are only three main ones, and whichever you pick will (or should) be connected to Nation and Bio, and likewise, your age should connect to your race.
Now we get to the more difficult parts, the ones that make or break a profile. Keep in mind that everything I say from here on out is my opinion, but also remember that it is probably a widely-held opinion you should note. First impressions mean a lot in profiles, just as they do in any other area of human interaction. In all cases, be descriptive! Let your ideas flow, and don't leave something out if you think anyone might want to know about it. Guaranteed, almost any detail is useful to RPing a character or RPing with them.
1. Appearance
The chances are that appearance is one of the two things that will most influence how your character is RPed as you progress with them. The first idea that most people consider when devising an appearance is how the character themselves will look. It's human nature to start with the head and move down (...or, I do), so I will go in that order. Before starting that, note that your character's appearance should go directly hand in hand with everything you've filled out so far, with the exception of name. Nation will affect their clothing, and at times skin and eye color. For example, a laguz from Hatari is likely to wear clothing similar to Nailah's (the ornate drapes and random assortments) if they are a noble or of moderate wealth. Age should be obvious—just don't forget that few age past forty with no wrinkles and a majority of 70-year old men do not have a full head of hair. Likewise, a young girl is most likely slender and lithe unless they are built like Meg. As for race, laguz have pointed ears, a tail, and some have markings. Beorc do not.
A character's hair is up in the air, but their skin and eye color should correspond to where they are from, with a few exceptions. For example, my character Benoit has light skin, and part of that has to do with being the White Stag, but it's mostly because he lived in the thick forests of Gallia where one would not expect the heavy load of sunlight one would see in desert-like Hatari. Their face should relate to their age and gender. My advice when describing a face is to be specific, noting the shape of the head, chin, mouth and expression without wasting too many words. This will give the reader a clearer picture of the general look of your character, and it adds the impression that you gave it some thought. As far as the body goes, don't be repetitive, but at the same time, spare no detail. Feel free to tell me if your character has a large build or is frail, if they are thicker in the legs or have a slouched posture. It will certainly add credence to when you RP them and it will add to their depth.
As for clothing, tie this in to the nation field and to the bio. I will repeat, if your character is from Hatari, make them look it. Note that laguz, the overwhelming majority, do not wear armor, and that most melee classes for Beorc do. I will admit that I am no stranger to making my characters have only one primary outfit; if you choose that path, spare no detail on it either. Tell about how loosely it wears on your character, its colors and functions and generally how other characters will view it. It will be awesome if you have more than one outfit, in which case you can describe them all, though not as vividly if you're not up to it. Depth is great in all cases of a profile.
All in all, remember that a character's life shapes their appearance as much as it does their personality.
2. Personality
My personal favorite. Off the bat, I'm not going to tell you to avoid stock characters, because if they didn't exist, they wouldn't be stocks. At the same time, put your own spin on it. Just because a character who loves justice seems cliché doesn't mean that there shouldn't be any of them; each characters' system of values is inherently different. Speaking of which, spare absolutely no expense in order to tell me what it is that your character believes. If they're apathetic, that's good. Explain in what manner though, as in whether they are apathetic because they are manic or clinically depressive, or if it's because they're lazy or simplistic. If they're well-to-do, explain if they like helping others and being kind because it's gratifying to them, or if it's habitual, or if they are only good people to those they know or show an interest in. Personalities are very complex; it's why we have psychology. Give details about the depth of the personality and what makes it tick, what makes it unique.
Explanation is a plus. If you say your character hates authority, tell what type of authority (i.e. parents, government, nobles, etc.) and why. If they like to kill, explain that they get a rush (or off) from it, or if they must, or something else. Personality disorders are uncommon, but if you're capable of RPing one, they are unique enough to draw attention to a profile. Important things to include are how your character interacts with others, their likes and dislikes, their view on life (Benoit, for instance, is mildly fatalistic) and how emotional they are. Examples of how a character would act in a certain situation that calls on their personality are good, as is anything else you might want to add. The personality encompasses everything about who your character is, and it is therefore important to explain everything you feel necessary.
3. Biography
The whopper. Before you set out to write, know that there is no limit nor an expectation on the length of each bio. I and the mods and other readers want you to explain, but don't repeat yourself for length. A good biography has two main parts, in my opinion, that can be either separated or interspersed, but will help you widen the scope of the characters' life and include everything a mod wants to see and that can make it easier for others to understand the character and RP with them.
First: childhood. A childhood often shapes a character, especially in personality. They don't have to be long, but include them. Describing parents, environment, specific life-altering experiences and time frame are musts for a quality bio. Remember that there are unique children and exceptions, but the overwhelming majority of growing characters will be influenced by how they were raised, where they were raised, and when they were raised.
Second: life course. By this I mean that there is a time when a spark, no matter how big, goes off and changes what the character wants to do with their life. The change can be gradual, but it starts somewhere. If your character is a bishop who hates laguz, explain why, when that was fostered, how it grew. This is part of explaining the character's life overall, but make sure you give the description meaning. Along with this, explain how events continued to shape them. All in all, a bio is simply there to explain personality, appearance and level, and should be treated as such.
Some may disagree with that view, and it's not necessary to follow it, but it's mine. Make sure you note how the character got its start, describe its childhood circumstances, and then by process continue on the path of their life, explaining anything that you think shaped who they are or anything that will later become important, as well as anything that will help others RPing with you to understand the character. Do not skimp on details at any point, and make sure your ideas flow. I've stated it already, but just try to write as if the personality and appearance are who the character is and the biography is why, except in story form. That is the bottom line: tell me, or the reader, about your character's life, and do it in the form of a well-written story.
Level and weapon level will be determined by the approving mod based on the quality of the profile, so don't forget to leave them blank. You can then add weapons."
