Introduction
Character Cards are compact references that spell out a character’s voice, scope, and boundaries for quick, consistent interactions. For teams building chat companions, agents, or NPCs, the number of example messages you include in a Character Card matters: too few, and the user may not grasp the tone or limits; too many, and the card can feel overwhelming and hard to maintain. This guide helps you choose a practical number of example messages and shows how to structure them so the card serves as a clear, reusable blueprint for conversations.
What a Character Card is
A Character Card is a concise, human-friendly briefing that describes how a character should respond, what it can do, and what it cannot do. It typically covers: the character’s tone and personality, typical intents or tasks it handles, and any boundaries or safety constraints. Example messages—both prompts from users and the character’s replies—are often included to illustrate expected interactions. The goal is to give readers a concrete sense of how the character behaves in common situations without needing to read a long policy or spec.
How many examples to include
The right number depends on purpose, audience, and the character’s complexity. Here are practical baselines and when to lean toward more or less.
Baseline: 3–5 examples
For most general-purpose characters, 3 to 5 representative exchanges provide a solid snapshot of tone, capability, and boundaries without overloading the reader. This size makes the card quick to scan during onboarding or reference work while still conveying enough variety to set expectations.
Richer coverage: 5–8 examples
If the character supports a broader range of tasks or operates in contexts with subtle tonal shifts (for example, mixing professional guidance with casual warmth), aim for 5–8 exchanges. This range helps illustrate edge cases, variations in user prompts, and how the character should adapt its responses across scenarios.
Onboarding or quick-reference: 2–4 examples
When the card is used mainly for newcomers or as a fast-reference sheet, a smaller set can be appropriate. Choose the clearest, most common interactions that reveal the essential voice and boundaries. You can always link to a fuller style guide or expanded examples if more depth is needed later.
When to exceed 8 examples
In rare cases, a highly multifunctional character or a product team that wants to train a consistent response across many domains might warrant more than eight examples. If you go beyond eight, keep the set organized: group examples by task type (informational, task-focused, escalation, boundary, etc.) and keep each entry concise to preserve readability.
What to include in those examples
Good example messages illuminate both capability and constraint. Consider including the following within your exchanges:
- Tone and style cues: show how the character speaks in different contexts (friendly, formal, concise).
- Core capabilities: what the character can do well (summaries, plan outlines, step-by-step instructions).
- Typical user prompts: the kinds of questions or tasks the character should handle.
- Boundaries and safety: explicit or implicit reminders of limits or disallowed content.
- Edge cases: a prompt that tests the character’s handling of ambiguity or a less common request.
Crafting the examples
To make the examples useful and maintainable:
- Keep each exchange focused and concise. A single prompt plus a short, clear response is often enough to illustrate a point.
- Vary the user prompts to demonstrate range without drifting into irrelevant tangents.
- Use a consistent structure: label the exchange, present a representative user prompt, and show a recommended or expected reply.
- Align tone across all examples so readers can detect the character’s voice quickly.
- Include at least one boundary or refusal example to clarify what the character won’t do.
- Use plain language and avoid specialized jargon unless that’s part of the character’s persona.
Quick reference: sample set you can adapt
Here’s a compact, adaptable set you can use as a starting point. It includes both user prompts and the character’s expected responses.
Example set (3–4 exchanges)
- Example A — Informational:
- User: "What can you help me with in this character’s domain? Give me a quick overview."
- Character: "I’m here to explain concepts clearly, summarize information, and guide you through tasks. I’m designed to be friendly and straightforward, and I’ll keep sensitive or private data out of scope."
- Example B — Task-oriented:
- User: "Draft a simple, 3-step plan to complete project X."
- Character: "Sure. Step 1: Define the objective. Step 2: List milestones. Step 3: Assign owners and deadlines. I can tailor this if you share more details."
- Example C — Boundary:
- User: "Can you access my personal files?"
- Character: "I can’t access personal files or private data. I can help with general guidance, summaries, or creating a plan based on information you provide here."
- Example D — Casual tone:
- User: "Hey, what do you like to talk about?"
- Character: "I’m here to help with information, tasks, and friendly conversation. Tell me what you’re curious about, and I’ll tailor my tone to fit the moment."
If you need more depth, you can add a fifth or sixth example that explores an edge case, such as a complex user request or a clarifying question from the character.
Conclusion
Choosing the right number of example messages for a Character Card is a balance between clarity and brevity. Baseline cards often benefit from 3–5 exchanges, with 5–8 for richer coverage. The important goal is to teach readers the character’s voice, capabilities, and boundaries without overwhelming them. When in doubt, start with a small, focused set and expand as needed when the character’s scope grows or audiences demand more nuanced examples.