Before I start I would like to say that this guide would not have been possible without taking inspiration, and some paragraphs, from Ponty's Skyrim CB guide. So all credit goes to him.
A character build is more than text on a screen. It has to inspire people to take what you've written - your idea, your concept - and do something with it. That can mean playing it, giving them ideas for their own unique build, or showing a friend.
For your build to inspire, it needs to have both quality content and a good presentation. I'll begin with what you need to include in your build.
CONTENT
Before writing your build, make sure you play it! Playing your build ensures that everything - the skills, race and equipment fit together. It might shed some new insights into the playstyle you didn't think of, or show that some things you were planning simply don't work.
First off, a brief description. Give people an idea of what to expect in your build. It should describe the general roleplay and gameplay style of your build. This can be an example:
"A heavy roleplaying build inspired by the title character from Jason Eisener's satirical and horrifically violent black comedy about a Hobo who turns vigilante when he sees the crimes committed against the homeless and the citizens of Hope Town. It is time to bring this justice to the Commonwealth, for the simple vagrant to rise up against the tyranny he sees everyday."
- FO4 Build: Hobo with a Shotgun by Lissete Long-Chapper
The next thing that you will write down is the Backstory. The backstory has to set up the build but it can't be too long. About three paragraphs should do it. If you wish to expand the backstory, you can write the big version in the Story Corner and link it in the build.
The next section is reserved for your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. spread and the Perks. Both of this look better when put into a picture. You should also look to explain how these Perks come together and why they have been picked.
Up next is the Equipment. Here you will write down the armor and weapons that the build uses. You can also include a in-game picture so that the readers get a visual representation.
After that comes the Gameplay part. This is one of the most important parts of the build. Here you will explain how everything works in-game. How the SPECIAL and Perks come together and how the build plays.
After this come some parts that you can leave out but the presentation of the build is much better with them.
The first of them is Factions and Quests. Here you will write what Factions the build will join and how they will work with the build. You will also add the major quests that the build will complete. This will help add another layer of immersion into the build.
Next up is Roleplay. Here you can write how the build will act in-game. Here is a little example:
"Taking down a major secret organization that replaces people with artificial beings, victimizes both humans and synths, and instills fear in the lives of most of the Commonwealth? Establishing safe houses? Being the underdog in a world full of teleporting coursers, monsters, and BoS in Power Armor? Yes, sign the Hobo up. I also helped Preston in the beginning, but ended up refusing the position of General and I also helped the BoS through entering the Prydwen. But by then I was already a member of the Railroad and actually roleplayed entering the airship as gathering intel for them."
- FO4 Build: Hobo with a Shotgun by Lissete Long-Chapper
Presentation
Presentation can make or break a build. A badly presented build won't inspire anyone, but a well-presented one will inspire them to read on. When writing your build, make sure you have a PC available - the mobile version of the editor is quite limited in formatting options and you can't embed images.
Make sure you structure your writing in a way that it flows from one section to the next in a way that makes sense to the reader. Use larger bold fonts for headings - don't just have a wall of unformatted text. Highlight important things with bold/italics.
Most of all, include a few pictures to illustrate your build! They can really help to convey a theme/image you're trying to get across. If you can't get screenshots, check out the art group or simply use Google Images. While having pictures is good, don't use too many - some people make the mistake of their build being all pictures and no content.
Last but not least, don't forget to spellcheck your build! Spelling mistakes can be really off-putting, especially in large quantities. Google Chrome has a built in spell checker, or you write it up in a word processor before copying it into the Ning editor. It always helps if you can get someone else to proofread your work - perhaps ask on the helpdesk.
Overall, your build should include enough content that someone could take your idea and run with it as you intended it to be played, and should be presented well enough that people are willing to read it!
As mentioned two times already, the build that you can use as a template to write your own is the, dare I say fantastic, build made by Lissete Long-Chapper called Hobo with a Shotgun.
I really hope that this guide will help you in your building. Good luck!
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