Your party has just finished a massive campaign arc, and with it the party barbarian has completed their personal goal of finding their lost village. It is a heart-felt moment as the fierce warrior can tearfully reunite with his people, and everyone ends happy. Yet, as the party discusses their next adventure, a lingering question arises: does the barbarian want to join them? What happens when a character’s personal journey comes to its natural conclusion, and they no longer feel the need to adventure? Should they push themselves onwards, or is it time to lie down their weapons and embrace the next chapter in their life? This moment, one often overlooked, presents a chance for one of the most impactful decisions in a tabletop roleplaying game: retiring a character.

Retiring a character is often the last thing players have in mind when they are playing a tabletop roleplaying game. Usually retiring a character goes hand in hand with a character death, and even then death may not be the end (ask my Curse of Strahd players about that one). But sometimes it feels right to retire a character. There might be a narrative reason, such as a completed goal or an additional need, or a mechanical need, such as a player wanted to change their play style. I am here to tell you to not be afraid to retire your character. You might find it to be the to be a surprisingly impactful moment.

This post delves into the reasons behind character retirement, identifying when it might be the right choice and exploring how to do it with the grace and respect your character deserves. From the fulfillment of a character’s deepest desire to the player’s want for a change of play style, retirement can be a powerful storytelling tool. Join me as we explore the considerations of character retirement. As we dive into this discussion, it’s important to first explore the core reasons behind the decision to retire a character. This understanding lays the groundwork for everything that follows.

Why Retire

In TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, characters are more than their stats; they embody complex aspirations and goals. Their journeys, whether driven by personal quests or shifting play styles, are integral to the game's evolving narrative. Recognizing a character's fulfillment or a player's desire for new experiences underscores the importance of retiring a character, making room for fresh stories and dynamics within the campaign.

While often these goals might be chosen to align with the campaign’s main story, that often won’t encompass all of them. Just like in real life, player characters will often have multiple goals and motivations of varying importance. The party Cleric might want to rid the land of evil, but being able to run their temple can be equally important, and sometimes might even take priority. In situations like this, it may feel right for your character to give up the adventuring life.

Players might also feel the need to retire their character. Sometimes a player might look to change their character class or other option if it would feel like an entirely new character. At that point, instead of turning their fighter into a wizard, it may make sense for their fighter to retire and to have the new wizard show up. A player may also want to change up the personality of their character. The brooding and cynical personality of the rogue might be draining after a while, but it would feel artificial to suddenly have them chipper and happy. At that point, it can make sense to have the character switch out.

With the motivations behind character retirement clear, the next step is to recognize when the time is right. Timing, as much as reason, defines the perfect moment for a character to step away from the story.

GM Note

If a player is planning to retire their character in the middle of a campaign, discuss this with the rest of the players out of the game. Since every tabletop roleplaying game is a collaborative effort, that character leaving could have a large impact on the rest of the party, both mechanically and narratively. Have some space for those discussions to be had at the table so that other players can plan accordingly.

How to Know When to Retire

Identifying the perfect moment for character retirement hinges on understanding their growth journey—how their motivations evolve, their archetype expands, and their flaws are confronted. This evolution signifies a character's readiness to embark on a new life chapter, marking retirement not as an end but a transition. This pivotal decision enhances the game's narrative depth, reflecting the natural progression of life and personal development.

1. Motivations: Recognizing a character’s motivations involves more than just acknowledging the milestones they have reached. It requires a deep dive into how their experiences, particularly the bonds they’ve forged with allies, have reshaped their understanding of what they truly value. As characters evolve, their motivations can shift, leading them to new paths that might not include adventuring.

2. Archetype: A character’s archetype plays a significant role in their journey. Whether they’re a heroic warrior, a cunning rogue, or a wise mage, their archetype influences their goals and how they interact with the world. However, as characters fulfill their roles within their stories, they may grow beyond their initial archetypes. This growth can lead them to seek retirement, as their identities expand beyond the confines of their original roles.

3. Overcoming Flaws: The journey to overcome personal flaws can be a powerful motivator for character development. This aspect, far from being dark, can shine a light on a character’s growth. Achieving a sense of fulfillment after overcoming specific flaws or shortcomings can be a natural endpoint for a character’s adventuring life. For instance, a warrior who has avenged their fallen comrades and learned to value the lives of their new friends over vengeance might feel a sense of completion, realizing they have grown past the need for constant battle.

These three pillars—Motivations, Archetype, and Overcoming Flaws—create a framework for evaluating when a character might be ready to retire. This process isn’t just about reaching a predetermined end but about recognizing when a character has undergone significant growth and transformation, suggesting they are ready to embark on a new chapter of their life, beyond the adventures that have defined them.

How to Retire Your Character

Once you know you want to retire your character, its important to know how to do it properly. The best way to have a character leave a campaign is one that feels narratively authentic and avoids leaving the player without a character for too long. Balancing verisimilitude and efficiency are important for having a smooth transition between characters.

Timing is also important for when to retire a character. You will want to wait until the end of your current adventure, preferably the end of campaign arc. These points in a campaign can already feel like a natural place for endings, like the conclusion of a chapter in a book. Having a character leave that this point can be much easier and allow for downtime to allow for the passage of time between one character leaving and the new character joining.

Sometimes, however, you will not have that perfect moment to retire a character. The campaign story might be at a point where downtime would be scarce (or non-existent, looking at you Curse of Strahd RAW). Or maybe you had a large bit of in real life downtime, and are now coming back with some changes in mind. In situations such as these, it comes down to preference. I prefer to choose speed and minimize downtime over authenticity to a degree. While I want the story to feel real, I do not want a player to show up with no character only to watch everyone else play while they wait. Speaking from experience, it can be uncomfortable for everyone involved if you have to wait for your players to “discover” the new PC.

Dealing with Attachment

One of the hardest parts about retiring characters can be the emotional aspect. Players will form strong bonds with their character. They may form strong bonds with the other characters at the table as well. That feeling is a testament to the depth and engagement of a tabletop roleplaying game, though it can change the process from one character to another difficult.

How can you tell if a player’s attachment to their previous character is causing them difficulty in moving on? One sign is difficulty imagining the story progressing without their previous character. Sometimes it can feel to them like their character leaving would create a hole in the story. A player being reluctant to create a new character is also a good indicator that they are struggling with attachment to their previous character. It can be just as hard to start the next chapter of their involvement with the campaign if they are struggling to end the previous one.

So what do you do if this arises? Foremost, make sure that your player knows they don’t have to retire their character if they have second thoughts, and that the character can come back if they change their mind. This kind of option is not permanent and as with many things in TTRPGs, you can always retcon if necessary. You can also have the player focus on building out a fitting epilogue for their character to celebrate their journey and see them off on the next step of their story.

Sometimes it can help to have the rest of your table help with the retirement and addition of characters, since games like Dungeons & Dragons are a collaborative experience. Consider having part of a session or out of game ritual for sending off their previous companion. This can help to build the emotional impact. The party can work together to come up with the next character. This can help to make for a character that has connections to the party that the individual player would have never thought of, which will help foster a connection from the start.

Quick Tips for a Smooth Character Retirement

In order to ensure that any character retirement goes smoothly at your table, keep the following tips in mind.

Plan Ahead

Encouraging players to discuss their retirement plans as soon as they plan them with both the GM and the group (if applicable) will help to ensure a cohesive storyline. This allows for the character’s arc to having a satisfying and complete conclusion, tying up some loose ends in their personal story.

Celebrate the Character’s Journey

When the character has decided to retire, work with your group to organize a memorable event that honors that character’s contributions and achievements. This can help keep the process smooth and give everyone that lasting emotional connection. Part of this can be the character passing one of their items to the group, either as a gift for their replacement or as a remembrance of their friend.

Integrate New Character Thoughtfully

When bringing the new character in, try to have a meaningful entrance into the story itself. Connections to the plotline or existing characters (either player or non-player) help to facilitate this. As a bonus, you can bring other players into this to further the connection.

Ensure a Smooth Gameplay Transition

When switching characters, be aware of any mechanical changes that may happen. Discuss the changes in dynamics with players and make sure they are aware of the change. While doing this, it is also important to balance out the integration with the momentum of the story itself. It’s important to make a new character feel like they can integrate, but don’t let the story stall out because of it.

Final Thoughts

Just because a character retires does not mean they are gone for good. In fact, the trope of a character coming out of retirement, either permanently or for one more job, can be a lot of fun at the table. Since the character retired, and most likely walked away with the ability to come back if they want or need to, it means that they can have that opportunity in the future. As always, just make sure all are aware.

Conclusion

Especially with longer running campaigns, which are common in Dungeons & Dragons, players can feel chained to the character they choose at the beginning. Most of the time, players don’t mind, and minor adjustments can resolve anything they feel is out of place. But that is not always the case. Sometimes the need for change can arise, and it provides a unique opportunity at the table.

Retiring a character can be a monumental moment for both player and table. Often this means that a character has either achieved something they have wanted for a long time, or found a new purpose outside of the adventuring lifestyle. In both cases, this marks a tremendous moment of growth and development for a character narratively. Being able to follow this to its natural conclusion means that you get to have an ending in the current chapter of that character’s life. They may return to adventure down the road, but for now, they have a new calling.

Situations like this provide an opportunity for everyone at the table to take part. Since tabletop roleplaying games are collaborative, this is a moment for everyone to celebrate together. Everyone can send off their former companion with a mix of joy and sadness, and get to welcome their replacement with a similar mixture of emotions.

Have you had a player retire a character? How did it go at the table? What do you think worked well, and what do you think was the biggest challenge? I would love to hear about it below.

Character Retirement: Embracing New Beginnings in Tabletop RPGs