Player character (PC)
A player character (PC) is a fictional persona that a game player controls in tabletop or video games, serving as the player's in-game embodiment, with attributes, choices, and progression.
Player character (often abbreviated PC) refers to a fictional persona in a game whose actions, decisions and development are directed by a human player rather than by automated rules. In both tabletop role-playing sessions and digital video game worlds, the player character functions as the player's visible presence or avatar inside the game's setting. PCs contrast with non-player characters (NPCs), which are controlled by a gamemaster or the game's code.
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Core characteristics
Player characters typically have a set of attributes and abilities that influence gameplay. These may include statistics such as health, strength, intelligence or skill levels; equipment and inventory; special abilities or spells; and a visual appearance that can sometimes be customized. PCs serve two main roles: a mechanical role that affects rules and outcomes, and a narrative role that represents the player's perspective in the story.
Common forms and presentation
Games present player characters in many ways. Some games give each player a single fixed protagonist with a defined backstory. Others provide character creation systems that let players design appearance, class, or moral alignment. Party-based games allow control of multiple PCs, while massively multiplayer online games let many players inhabit distinct PCs at once. Perspective also varies: first-person views align the camera with the PC's eyes, while third-person views show the PC as an on-screen avatar.
Historical development
The idea of a character directly controlled by a player traces back to early tabletop role-playing practices, where players created individual characters for collaborative storytelling. With the rise of electronic games, designers adapted that concept into single-character adventures, party-based computer RPGs and later into persistent online worlds. Over time systems for character progression, customization and moral choice became more sophisticated, influencing narrative design and player identification.
Mechanics, roles and examples
- Customization: Appearance, skills and background can be chosen to shape playstyle.
- Progression: Leveling, equipment upgrades and skill trees reward continued play.
- Special mechanics: Permadeath, branching story consequences and alignment systems change stakes.
- Multiplayer roles: In cooperative games each player may control a distinct PC; in competitive games PCs represent each participant.
Distinctions and notable considerations
It helps to distinguish a PC from related concepts. An avatar is often a visual or social representation of a player and may overlap with the PC term, but not all avatars have game mechanics. An NPC is any character not controlled by a player; in tabletop play an NPC is typically managed by the gamemaster who adjudicates actions and portrays non-player roles. Player characters are also central to discussions about player agency, immersion and narrative responsibility: choices made by a PC can define a story's trajectory, and designers balance freedom with structure to shape player experience.
Across genres—whether in a tabletop campaign, a single-player story-driven title, a party-based role-playing game, or an online persistent world—the player character remains the primary conduit for player interaction with the game world. Its design influences how players identify with the experience and how systems translate player intent into consequences within the fictional setting.
See also
- Computer game character
- Avatar (Internet)
Questions and answers
Q: What is a player character?
A: A player character (PC) is a made-up character in a role-playing or video game whose actions are chosen by a player of the game rather than the rules of the game.
Q: What are non-player characters?
A: The characters that are not used by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs).
Q: Who chooses the actions of non-player characters?
A: The actions of non-player characters are generally chosen by the game itself in video games, or based on rules followed by a gamemaster in tabletop role-playing games.
Q: What is the role of a player character in a game?
A: The player character acts as a fictional, different body for the player using it.
Q: How many player characters do most video games have?
A: Most video games have one player character for each person playing the game.
Q: Do some games offer a group of player characters to choose from?
A: Yes, some games offer a group of player characters for the player to choose from, letting player control one of them at a time.
Q: Do player characters in games with multiple options have different abilities and attributes?
A: Yes, where there is more than one player character to choose, the characters may have different abilities, strengths, and weaknesses to make the gameplay different with each.
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Player character (PC) Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/77396
Sources
- believermag.com : "Destroy All Monsters" · webcitation.org
- books.google.com : My Avatar, My Self: Identity in Video Role-Playing Games