I have a problem with new characters

[Sir Edgen]

I certainly love to create new characters - each time with new class, often a homebrew one - and then write for each one a little biography, plan their future feats, spells and etc. When I see a new, interesting class or come up with a "great" idea involving one of standart classes, I can't help to spend time to at least fully build a level one character. At this moment I have a folder with ~20 character sheets, all ready to be played with.
But then comes a moment to actually play with one of these characters and I simply can't decide which one I should use. Even if I'm last of the party to select my character and clearly see which role I should take, I still have around 3-4 variants and still can't decide. I think the main reason is that I understand that if I select one character, I won't have an opportunity to play another one for a considerable time.
So... does anybody have similar problem and how do you solve it?

[pabelfly]

Shorter campaigns or one-shots are a fun way to try out a character concept.

Alternatively, you could talk to your DM about occasionally switching characters in a longer-form game - your character might have to leave for personal reasons or just have different goals than adventuring with the rest of the party, and can always return in the future if you want to bring them back.

[SangoProduction]

You'll grow out of it as you experience each of the classes.

Eventually, you grow cold and jaded by the vast sums of characters you've made, and start comparing new ones to the old. "Why would I do this, when that did it better?" will start coming up. You'll grow an undying hunger towards truly novel and unique classes until the need entirely consumes you, and spits you out as a husk of your former self. Nothing is truly novel any more. You've seen the truth, and resigned yourself to it. You grow bored as you drift through your games, lifeless character after same, lifeless character.

Then you come to realize that mechanics ought to come second to the character, which you can make as unique as you want, unconstrained by rules. Then you exploit your creativity for decades...slowly whittling down your number of new ideas.

Slowly, the realization dawns on you that it's not sustainable. "Maybe I can go back to characters I've enjoyed," you begin to think.

-
Well, at least that was my experience. Leave yours in the comments below!

[Arparrabiosa]

I use them as follower NPCs or villains.

[Psyren]

But then comes a moment to actually play with one of these characters and I simply can't decide which one I should use. Even if I'm last of the party to select my character and clearly see which role I should take, I still have around 3-4 variants and still can't decide. I think the main reason is that I understand that if I select one character, I won't have an opportunity to play another one for a considerable time.
So... does anybody have similar problem and how do you solve it?

You're a TTPRG player aren't you? Solve it like any other such problem - make a table with all the options and then roll on it randomly

[Sir Edgen]

Thanks for replies, guys. SangoProduction - I feel your soul in you answer. Thank you for that speech. I think I'll try all advices - I'll stick to character concepts unstead of trying to build character's personality around a class or race. Arparrabiosa's idea seems very tempting - perhaps some of my characters will look better as npcs than pcs. Pabelfly's advice can actually work pretty well too, especially if we'll lack players and players will be forced to run several characters at once. And if I ever feel confused or bored I'll just roll dice and play a random character. Again, thanks to you all

[ekarney]

Advice/Bad pun incoming:
Once the party has decided their roles, and you're left with 4 or so option, just roll a 1d4 for it or something, play whichever character comes up first and uhh just roll with it

[Particle_Man]

According to some theories of the multiverse there are different versions of you that will play the characters that you here do not, if that’s any comfort.

[Crow_Nightfeath]

I've been playing for about 20 years, and I still have that same problem. I've learned to stop putting them on actual character sheets and put the info into a notebook

[Seerow]

My D&D group shares a dropbox where we keep campaign notes, character sheets, etc.

There's literally a folder there labeled "Seerow's unused characters".

The worst part is, I build probably 3 characters for every one that ends up in there, and then when a new campaign starts, instead of going in there, I build one to fit the campaign. It is handy though because generally I can go back into the folder and pick out something similar to save me research time on feats/spells/items that I found useful on similar characters.

[jintoya]

You'll grow out of it as you experience each of the classes.

Eventually, you grow cold and jaded by the vast sums of characters you've made, and start comparing new ones to the old. "Why would I do this, when that did it better?" will start coming up. You'll grow an undying hunger towards truly novel and unique classes until the need entirely consumes you, and spits you out as a husk of your former self. Nothing is truly novel any more. You've seen the truth, and resigned yourself to it. You grow bored as you drift through your games, lifeless character after same, lifeless character.

Then you come to realize that mechanics ought to come second to the character, which you can make as unique as you want, unconstrained by rules. Then you exploit your creativity for decades...slowly whittling down your number of new ideas.

Slowly, the realization dawns on you that it's not sustainable. "Maybe I can go back to characters I've enjoyed," you begin to think.

-
Well, at least that was my experience. Leave yours in the comments below!

Not far off, but mine skipped the "do the mechanics!" Portion after I optimized a warlock... Then just decided god-slaying was boring and cut the whole "back to your roots" portion of the love for character creation problem down to about 5 years.
Now I'm more into making characters that are just fun, screw optimization, its boring when I always win.

To solve OP's issue, run through the characters you have prepared, never have more than a few prepared at any time.
Fewer options = less time deciding

[RNightstalker]

Option one is to pick up a second game so you can go through them faster, but another alternative:

How about next time you play a game, instead of others rolling up characters, everybody takes a blind sheet from your folder?