SKILL/TREE

A real D&D backstory in under a minute (with a portrait prompt)

Tell it your class, race, and a vibe — get back a tight backstory, 3 plot hooks the DM can actually use, one secret motivation, and a Midjourney or SDXL prompt for the portrait.

$3.99
Works in Claude (Pro/Max/Team) or ChatGPT (Plus/Team) · paid AI plan required
Both Claude + ChatGPT packages included — you can't pick the wrong one.
Updated
Included
011-paragraph backstory written for the table — no 4-page novella nobody will read
023 plot hooks the DM can drop into the campaign in session 1 or 5 or 12
031 secret motivation your character keeps from the party — instant roleplay fuel
04Portrait prompt formatted for Midjourney AND SDXL (with negative prompts for SDXL)
05Respects your class, race, subclass, and vibe — a barbarian outlander does not read like an elven wizard
06Re-roll any piece you don't love — backstory, hooks, motivation, or portrait prompt — without redoing the rest

What it does

Session zero is in three hours and you've written 'fighter, human, gruff' on the sheet and called it a backstory. This is a D&D character backstory generator built for players who want something the DM can actually use at the table — not a 1500-word origin novel nobody will read. Feed it the basics (class, race, subclass if you have one, alignment, and a one-line vibe like 'tired knight who quit the order' or 'feral druid raised by ravens') and get back a 5e character backstory in one tight paragraph, three plot hooks worded as things the DM can fold into the campaign, one secret motivation your character keeps from the party, and an AI character portrait prompt formatted for both Midjourney and SDXL (with negative prompts for SDXL). Each element can be re-rolled independently — keep the backstory, swap the secret, regenerate the hooks. Bundled reference: a class/race vibe map so an outlander barbarian doesn't read like a noble paladin, plus prompt-engineering templates tuned to current Midjourney v6 and SDXL syntax. Built for the moment between rolling stats and showing up to session zero with something real.

Frequently asked

How do I write a D&D character backstory my DM will actually use?
The skill outputs the backstory plus three explicit plot hooks worded as things the DM can incorporate — a missing brother, a debt to a guild, a prophecy your character half-believes. DMs use these to wire your character into the campaign instead of letting your backstory sit unused.
Will the portrait prompt work in Midjourney AND Stable Diffusion?
Yes. The skill outputs two prompt formats: Midjourney v6 style (natural-language descriptive, with --ar and --style flags) and SDXL style (comma-separated tags with explicit negative prompt). Copy/paste into either.
Can I generate a backstory for a homebrew class or subclass not in the PHB?
Yes. Just tell the skill the class concept and key features. It builds the backstory around the character's role and flavor, not a hard-coded class list. Works for Tasha's, Xanathar's, and homebrew.
What if I love the backstory but hate the secret motivation?
Re-roll any single piece without redoing the rest. Tell the skill 'keep everything, regenerate the secret' and you get a new motivation that still matches the existing backstory.
Is this for D&D 5e specifically or also Pathfinder / other systems?
Tuned for D&D 5e (the most common system) but the backstory and portrait prompt outputs are system-agnostic. The hooks and secret motivation work for any TTRPG. The class/race vibe references assume 5e nomenclature.

Install — no Terminal required

After checkout you land on a page with a one-click download and a pre-built install prompt. Pick the AI you already pay for — both packages are included, so you can't pick wrong.

What you'll see the second your payment clears
Your license key
ST-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX · permanent
Pre-built install prompt⧉ Copy
ChatGPT package (ZIP)⬇ Download

No setup work before you buy — copy, paste, done.

Have Claude Pro, Max, or Team?
Copy the prompt, paste into Claude

Copy the pre-built install prompt from the success page, paste it into any Claude Code chat, and Claude installs the skill itself — about 10 seconds. Using the app instead? Drop the downloaded folder into a Claude Project's knowledge and ask Claude to use it.

Have ChatGPT Plus or Team?
Build a Custom GPT — ~2 minutes
  1. Click Download ChatGPT package (included with every purchase).
  2. Unzip it — inside is a SETUP.md and a knowledge/ folder.
  3. Go to chatgpt.com → your profile → My GPTs Create a GPTConfigure.
  4. Paste the Name, Description, and Instructions from SETUP.md into the matching fields.
  5. Under Knowledge, upload every file in the knowledge/ folder.
  6. Click Create/Save, open your GPT, and describe your task in plain English.

A paid plan on either platform is required — Claude (Pro, Max, or Team) or ChatGPT (Plus or Team). Comfortable with Terminal? A one-line npx skilltree-network install path is available too.