Random character wheel
Thirty characters, each with a hint of a story already in the label. Spin one, then give them a want, a fear and a secret.
SpacespinCtrl+Enterspin while typingFfull screen
One entry per line. Add *3 after a name to give it three times the chance.
Winners show up here, newest first.
Colors
Ready-made list. Edit it to make it yours: changes stay on this device, and Reset brings the original back.Open in the main spinner →
Build a character in five minutes
- Spin for the character.
- Give them a want: something concrete they are trying to get this week. A nervous knight wants to pass a jousting test.
- Give them a fear that stands in the way. The knight is afraid of horses.
- Give them a secret nobody else knows. The knight has been practicing on a donkey.
- Write one line of dialogue in their voice. If it sounds like you, try again.
Story kit spins
Combine this wheel with others for a full story start: one spin here, one on the story setting wheel, and one on the plot twist wheel. A lighthouse keeper on a space station whose map turns out to be wrong is already a story.
In class, drama and games
- Drama warm-up: a student spins and walks across the room as the character. The class guesses who.
- Hot seat: one student plays the spun character and the group asks questions for two minutes.
- Two-character scenes: spin twice. The pair improvise a 60-second scene where both want the same thing.
- Drawing: draw the character with three objects that show who they are without words.
- Tabletop games: spin a quick personality for a background character, or use the tabletop NPC wheel for ready-made ones.
Questions and answers
What ages is this for?
The characters are kid-friendly and work from about age 7, but the want, fear and secret exercise is used by adult writers too. Younger children can just spin and draw.
Can I make the characters more specific?
Yes. Edit any entry to add a detail (“Retired pirate who hates water”), or add your own, one per line. Shorter labels are easier to read on the wheel, so keep the extra detail in your notes.