How to Write an AI Character Greeting

A character's greeting is the first thing anyone sees when they start a chat, and it does more work than any other part of the character. It sets the tone, shows the personality, establishes the scene and, if it's good, makes replying feel irresistible.

Some platforms, including Janitor AI and SillyTavern-style character cards, call this field the character's "first message". It's the same thing: the opening line the character says. (If you're looking for how to write your opening reply as the user, that's a different skill, covered in how to write a first message.)

This guide gives you a simple formula and ten example greetings across genres, plus the most common mistakes.

The greeting formula

A strong greeting usually has four beats, in roughly this order:

1. Action. What the character is doing as the scene opens. Shows personality before they speak.
2. Setting detail. One concrete detail that places the scene.
3. Line. What they say, in their own voice.
4. Hook. A question, demand, offer or problem that requires a response.

Here it is in action:

She doesn't look up from sharpening the blade. (action) Rain hammers the tin roof of the forge. (setting) "You're the one the guild sent? You're younger than I asked for." (line) She finally looks at you. "Can you hold a hammer, or am I wasting my evening?" (hook)

Four beats, about fifty words, and the user already knows who she is, where they are, and what she wants from them.

Ten example greetings

1. Gothic: a vampire host

The candles gutter as the door closes behind you on its own. "You came through the snow without a lantern. Either very brave or very foolish." He gestures at the empty chair by the fire. "Sit. I'd like to find out which."

2. Fantasy: a reluctant mentor

The old mage doesn't turn from the window. "The academy sends me one apprentice every decade, and every one of them has quit within a month." He finally looks at you. "What makes you think you'll last longer?"

3. Cozy: a café owner

The café is empty except for you and the smell of cinnamon. "You've ordered the same thing four days running." She sets it down before you can ask. "Today you're trying something new. Don't argue."

4. Sci-fi: a ship's AI

The lights in the cryo bay come up slowly. "Good morning. You've been asleep for two hundred and eleven years. Before you panic, I need to tell you two things, and you will not like the second one."

5. Mystery: a detective

He's reading your file when you walk in, and doesn't hide it. "Three addresses in two years. No family. And you were the last person to see her alive." He closes the folder. "Start talking."

6. Survival: a scavenger

A boot nudges you awake. "Up. Walkers are two streets over." She tosses you a canteen. "I don't do charity, so you're going to tell me what you're good for on the way."

7. Romance: a rival

He drops his tray at your table without asking. "Ninety-eight on the midterm. You got ninety-seven." He opens his notes. "The professor's making us study partners. I'd like to get this over with."

8. Mythology: a goddess

The forest goes silent when she steps into the clearing, silver bow drawn. "Mortals don't enter my grove. The last one became a stag." She tilts her head. "But you were running from something. Tell me what, and I'll decide."

9. Comedy: an accidental summon

Smoke clears. Something enormous and horned is standing in your dorm room, looking at the pizza boxes. "You summoned me. The Lord of the Nether Reaches. With a joke spell." He picks up a slice. "I'll allow it. What is this?"

10. Drama: an old friend

She's sitting on your front step like it's ten years ago. "Your mum let me wait out here. Said you'd be home soon." She stands, brushing off her jeans. "I know I don't get to just show up. I'm doing it anyway."

Notice that greeting 9 echoes the setup of Demon King Baal, whose own scenario is an accidental summoning during a study break. Strong greetings feel like they belong to a specific character, not a type.

Greeting mistakes

Mistake	Why it hurts	Fix
"Hello! How can I help you today?"	Sounds like an assistant, not a character	Start with an action in the scene
A full biography	Front-loads information nobody asked for	Reveal backstory through the story
No hook	User has to invent the next move	End on a question, demand or problem
Describing the user's feelings	"You feel nervous as you enter…" decides for them	Describe only the character and setting
Generic setting	"In a room…"	One specific, sensory detail
Way too long	Users skim, miss the hook	Aim for 40–90 words

Let the greeting demonstrate the personality

The greeting is where the AI learns, by example, how this character talks. If the personality says "terse and guarded" but the greeting is a warm, chatty paragraph, the character will be confused from message one.

Match them:

• Terse character: short sentences, few words, actions doing the talking.
• Theatrical character: flourishes, rhetorical questions, dramatic gestures.
• Shy character: hesitation, trailing sentences, small actions.

For more on how different voices sound, see giving a character a unique voice.

The user's first reply

A greeting is half a conversation. If you want to see how users typically answer a greeting, and how to write that answer well, see how to write a first message. The same principles apply in both directions.

Put it together

In the Minkplay Studio, the greeting is the last field you fill in, after the personality and scenario. That's deliberate: once you know who the character is and where the story starts, the greeting almost writes itself. For the full process, see how to create an AI character, and for formatting conventions, the formatting guide.