Asking good questions is such a big part of being a good librarian that it was a shock when Apocalypse World first made me really think about questions as a tool at the table. Of course gamers asked each other questions before Apocalypse World; I’m not saying the Bakers invented questions or the question mark. But naming the tools in one’s toolbox makes it easier to reach for said tool and makes it easier to discuss how to use them well.
The questions here go back and forth between questions for high stats and questions for low stats. They can easily be changed a bit for the middle of the road results.
Below are the pretty versions with world bubbles and character sheets but below that is just the text.
Strength
Were you born strong or did you work hard to become strong?
What is/was the worst part about not being the strongest?
What feat of strength have you always wanted to accomplish?
How did you survive without physical strength?
When you locked up with the strongest person you’ve ever wrestled, what happened that made you realize they were stronger than you?
Dexterity
When did you realize you were faster/more graceful than everyone around you?
What is your worst nightmare about being clumsy?
What feat of grace have you always wanted to accomplish?
What did you almost drop?
Which monster was the children’s game you were so great at named after?
Constitution
What did being hale and healthy allow you to accomplish?
What was your haven during your sickest days?
What did you survive because you are so durable and healthy?
When were you most sick and who took care of you?
What did you attribute your great health to? Ancestors? Deities? The crystal clear water in the streams where you grew up?
Intelligence
When did you first realize you were the smartest person you knew?
How did you deal with the written word being so difficult for you?
What was the first problem you solved with your intellect?
How do you react to being called dumb?
What was the first problem you could not think your way out of?
Wisdom
What did you realize about the adults around you at a young age because of your incredible perception?
What problem in your community did you not see because of your lack of wisdom?
When did you first give wise advice to a friend and how did their problem find resolution?
What personal shortcoming did you fail to see until it was too late and damaged your life?
Which prayer has the most personal meaning for you?
Charisma
Who were some of the first people you remember charming?
How do you recover from bad first impressions?
When was the first time you realized the power you wielded in front of a large audience?
Who did your lack of charm and social grace push away that you really regret?
What was the best performance of your life so far?
Githyanki Diaspora 