Self-Insert Character Sheet

I’ve always been a fan of personality typing. Anything introspective that helps me understand myself and other people and why we are the way we are has always been interesting to me. I am a pretty reflective person. Even if I don’t always buy into the personality quiz or whatever, it’s still fun to reflect and answer the questions posed. Myer Briggs (ENFJ), Enneagram (4w3), Astrological sign (Libra), hell, even a random online quiz that answers “What tree are you?” (I’m a pine tree!), all have a way of making you think about yourself in a different way. Whether you “buy it” or not, doesn’t have to be the goal. It can simply just be beneficial to self reflect.

When I started playing Baldur’s Gate 3 and, later, Dungeons and Dragons, I couldn’t help but think about what my real stats would be if I, as I am right now, were to become a character in a game.

What would my true stat block look like?

Name: Rae

Race: Human

Class: Barbarian

Age: 32 

Alignment: Chaotic good

Background: Sage

Strength: 15

Dexterity: 8

Constitution: 10

Intelligence: 16

Wisdom: 12

Charisma: 13

I call myself a Barbarian Librarian for a reason.

Intelligence would for sure be my highest stat. I was always good at school and I would be a life-long student if I truly could find a way to do so. I am, however, very aware that most of my intelligence is book smarts. 

Strength is obviously my second highest stat. While I definitely think I am smarter than I am strong, I also know my primary hobby consists of picking heavy things up and putting them back down. Over and over again.

Charisma is my next highest stat. I’m not especially charismatic, but I can mostly navigate social situations simply because I’m an extravert. I have a big sense of humor that people either love or hate and I am, in fact, a humungous nerd. Which can also be a big positive or a major negative to some.

Wisdom is only a 12 and not lower because I have the luxury of age and life experience on my side now. I’m only as wise as I was formerly naive, which is to say, I’ve grown extensively in wisdom over the last few years. 

Constitution is a funky score for me. On one hand, I am very, physically tough. I have a high pain tolerance and can withstand quite a bit of discomfort. On the flip side, I have an incredibly weak stomach and I have 8 major food allergies… (God knew I’d be too powerful if I could digest dairy…) That seems to cancel each other out, so a +0 felt like a safe bet

Finally, my lowest stat by far would be dexterity. While I do crochet and recently started sewing, activities like that do not come easily to me the way other things do. Even though I grew up a dancer and have good body control in the gym from years of being an athlete, I really have to continuously work at it. None of it comes easily to me. I became a good runner as a teenager because I went to a speed and agility coach for a few years and perfected my running form. I became a good lifter because I have studied and watched other lifters and practiced their form over and over again. I’ve hired coaches to teach me. I restart crochet projects normally 3-5 times before getting it right. My limbs are covered in bruises from running into stuff at the gym or around the house. Trust me when I say, dexterity and I are not well acquainted with one another. While I can sometimes be light on my feet, I have to be focused enough to be light on my feet…

Because I knew my strength was in my intelligence, I increased my other stats by becoming a student.

So, why am I telling all of you this? 

I think when you’re starting a lifting program or any kind of wellness journey, it’s like starting a new campaign. You have to look at your own strengths and weaknesses and decide how you want to play them.

For me, I knew intelligence was going to be my stat to rely on. I enjoy the practical learning process. I love knowing why my coach programs certain accessories for my goals. I love knowing how a variation of a movement will affect my primary movements. I enjoy being a student. So, for me, having an experienced coach guide my way was the right move for my fitness goals. I also knew that dexterity isn’t my strong suit, so I knew I would need help fine tuning my form, zooming in on the small adjustments I needed to make.

Again, looking at my stat block from the perspective of a player that will play that stat block as a character in a game, what would you do to showcase her strengths and bolster her weaknesses?

If I were playing my character stat block, I’d give her a big axe and have her study books about weapons and fighting. I would make sure she aligns with an ally that would give her guidance on dexterity and constitution saving throws. 

But, what about you? Knowing your own stats may help you figure out what type of workout program would be best for you! How would your self-insert character for a final battle?

Here’s your challenge: 

Write up what you believe your true stat block is. Personally, I just used the simple point system on DND Beyond. Even if you don’t assign numbers, just rank the traits from strongest to weakest. Then, ask yourself, “If this character was preparing for a final battle, what would they be doing to physically prepare?” (And no, getting drunk and dancing on the tables at the tavern with the pretty inn keeper isn’t an option, sorry). 

If this helped you identify a fitness goal, I’d love to hear it and maybe even help you out! What sort of hero do you want to become in your story?