Character Theory Do you have a "type" of character you're most drawn to?

[Crayons]

Even though I listed a bunch of different things, I feel like all the characters I play have much more in common than the types of characters that I don't play. And I don't really understand that. :/ I find that if I'm playing in an RP with multiple characters I can get a lot more varied with the types I play, because they can all bring something different, but maybe when I'm just playing one I stick more to my comfort zones. What about you guys?

Some discussion for ya Cazimir X !

 

[Cazimir X]

Even though I listed a bunch of different things, I feel like all the characters I play have much more in common than the types of characters that I don't play. And I don't really understand that. :/ I find that if I'm playing in an RP with multiple characters I can get a lot more varied with the types I play, because they can all bring something different, but maybe when I'm just playing one I stick more to my comfort zones. What about you guys?

Some discussion for ya Cazimir X !

I think I'm following you. That's interesting...
Well, when you're running multiples, is one of them still like your main go to? Or do they have traits of that go-to character broken down and dispersed throughout the others?

 

[Redfork2000]

Even though I listed a bunch of different things, I feel like all the characters I play have much more in common than the types of characters that I don't play. And I don't really understand that. :/ I find that if I'm playing in an RP with multiple characters I can get a lot more varied with the types I play, because they can all bring something different, but maybe when I'm just playing one I stick more to my comfort zones. What about you guys?

Some discussion for ya Cazimir X !

I definitely agree with you. Generally I have several types of characters I like to RP as, but when I can only RP one character I generally gravitate towards the same kind of main character. Even when I have multiple characters, usually my main character of the group generally belongs to one of few types of characters. And even when considering all the kinds of characters I can play, they have a lot of things in common compared to those I don't.

 

[Jannah]

2. The Morally Grey One
When people think of morally grey characters I guess that they often think of Machiavellian characters, people who have goals in mind and who will do anything to achieve them. Their intentions may be good, but they utterly end up disregarding any morality they might have along the way. And this often turns what would be a morally grey character into an evil one. I like morally grey characters who have some sort of touchstone, who have strict moral codes, who will do pretty nasty things, but that have a limit. Morally grey characters who know that they are being bad, but that they know that it is for a greater good, but retaining, at least, some level of humanity, and that humanity impeding them of achieving their goals. That battle "goals vs humanity" is something I love to explore. In fact, I believe that a well rounded character always has some level of moral "greyness", since I don't think that it is even possible to classify people as "good" or "bad", generally.

3. The Amoral One
No, they are not "immoral". Morally grey characters can be immoral, if they have a sense of morality that is not consensual, if such sense of morality deviates from the general one. Yet, an amoral character doesn't have a moral code whatsoever, or, if they do, it is very limited and flexible. They are the ones who are able to commit atrocious acts just "to see what happens". They often get mistaken by the morally grey characters, because both of them ignore, often, society's ideals of morality, being able to commit awful actions. There is an element of "Ordo ab Chao" when it comes to these amoral characters, as they often are able to find meaning in their amoral actions, often for personal entertainment or to explore a certain matter they are interested on. I often associate these types to the "mad scientist" archetype (one archetype I really like). Mad scientists don't necessarily have a goal in mind, studying what they want just because they find it interesting, and being able of committing atrocious acts along the way.

Yaaaaaasss. My two favourite archetypes, especially the former. I LOVE the morally grey types who don't give a damn about morality.

 

[Peryton]

I love writing the "average joe" type of character, the type of person who's just trying to get by in a world bigger than them. I embrace genuinely kind, gentle characters who make mistakes and continue to persevere and try to do what's best, even when faced with difficult challenges. I've spent so long trying so hard to force my characters to be interesting, but what really motivates me are characters who I want to see succeed. I know some people think kind characters are boring, but I find them to be a breath of fresh air.

 

[Crow]

The tsundere love interest, probably.

I also play comic relief.

 

[Crayons]

I think I'm following you. That's interesting...
Well, when you're running multiples, is one of them still like your main go to? Or do they have traits of that go-to character broken down and dispersed throughout the others?

One main and then the others are usually a bunch of different types. I feel like if they are only side characters they can be a a bit more caricature/less 3 dimensional, so I can go a bit more wild with it.

I love writing the "average joe" type of character, the type of person who's just trying to get by in a world bigger than them. I embrace genuinely kind, gentle characters who make mistakes and continue to persevere and try to do what's best, even when faced with difficult challenges. I've spent so long trying so hard to force my characters to be interesting, but what really motivates me are characters who I want to see succeed. I know some people think kind characters are boring, but I find them to be a breath of fresh air.

I love a kind character! What's rare is kind characters who aren't a total pushover and those I love - the strong, kind type. Who probably has a bunch of other stuff going on but who genuinely cares about people.

The last long-running character I had was like that and it was a breath of fresh air from playing all the morally ambiguous assholes I normally like.

 

[Daisie]

Oooh, regardless of if I'm playing the type or if my partner is playing the type... Heck, even if it's not roleplay-related at ALL...

I really adore the rebellious jerkwad with a secret heart of gold. I've seen a few, I've played a few, I just love them to bits. They're the ones who are defensive and embarrassed to show their sensitive side because of all the crap they've been through, but when the time is right, they're the ones who need it the most. Augh I love it.

What's fun is that I'm currently playing one against another. A couple jerks being jerks to each other but also gradually realizing how in love they are? But also also not wanting to be, because everything is angsty? I live for that. No shame.

 

[Cross]

I like playing the jerk with a heart of gold like some others have said. The character is usually jerk light. Or diet jerk. I like playing up their stubborn and hard headed elements and adding in humor.

It's also nice to have that character development that takes them from insecure jerk to a more confident, well meaning jerk.

 

[Crayons]

I really adore the rebellious jerkwad with a secret heart of gold. I've seen a few, I've played a few, I just love them to bits. They're the ones who are defensive and embarrassed to show their sensitive side because of all the crap they've been through, but when the time is right, they're the ones who need it the most. Augh I love it.

Stop describing me.

 

[yourlocal-eboyy]

I absolutely love men who are too dumb for their own good, or are way too smart but just super self-centered. It’s amazing.

 

[Cross]

Me too! yourlocal-eboyy That is peak male character-dom to me.

LMAO Like when Zoro from One Piece was literally going to saw off his legs to get out of a trap one time. That was his go-to solution with no hesitation.

 

[yourlocal-eboyy]

Yes! And he was gonna do the cool pose since ‘we’re gonna die anyway’! LOVE THE MOMENT

 

[Redfork2000]

I absolutely love men who are too dumb for their own good, or are way too smart but just super self-centered. It’s amazing.

Ooh, I think I've RPed both of them before, in fact, sometimes both characters in the same RP. It's cn definitely became very interesting how their interactions with other characters develop.

 

[AnnJam]

So is this like
Just everyone answering the question but we're not discussing? K

Maybe some people don't feel like talking about what their favorite trauma is like they're ice cream flavors. And maybe some of us enjoy shit that would get us in trouble on this very pure pg13 site if we were to attempt to discuss it in depth!

 

[simj26]

I do not wholly despise the idea of pigeonholing yourself to certain types of characters, but I think that not stretching out of your boundaries is a bad practice in general. You CAN have a certain type that you really enjoy to play, but it really limits the reach of what you can do somewhat, and if everyone is playing the wide-eyed idealist, or the grumpy, grouchy edge-packed warrior, there's not much to interact over, and there's very little character conflict.

That said, allow me to pose a different question to this thread- what about character types you DON'T ever want to play, or just revile to play in general. I believe that's a much more interesting discussion to be had in that.

 

[simj26]

That said, I've always wanted to play the SCUMMIEST, most DISGUSTING, TWO-FACED, CHAOTIC EVIL snake to ever exist in an rp. Unrepentantly evil, self-serving, and just slimy in general, the character is a walking, talking slimeball that makes everyone uncomfortable by just existing in the vicinity, not because of how they look, but how they behave in general.

However, most RPs do not enjoy this sort of thing, because everyone wants to be friends, and eventually all supposed 'evil' characters end up on the shipping/flanderisation block, where their vile behaviour is turned into a parody.

Next to that, I do enjoy morally grey characters. Even then, not much discussion on that end because unless it's spelled out letter-for-letter or the character literally yelling out 'I'M MORALLY GREY I'M SITTING ON THE FENCE ABOUT donating a dollar to the homeless shelter OR KILLING INNOCENT BABIES, WITNESS MY ANGUISH AAAAAAAAAA', that grey behaviour is going to be lost between the glaring shades of black and white. RP really isn't a place for subtlety.

 

[AnnJam]

You CAN have a certain type that you really enjoy to play, but it really limits the reach of what you can do somewhat, and if everyone is playing the wide-eyed idealist, or the grumpy, grouchy edge-packed warrior, there's not much to interact over, and there's very little character conflict.

Also there is no correlation between playing a favorite type of character and whether or not it allows for more or less interaction and conflict. That is such a weird thing to claim.

 

[Cazimir X]

Maybe some people don't feel like talking about what their favorite trauma is like they're ice cream flavors. And maybe some of us enjoy shit that would get us in trouble on this very pure pg13 site if we were to attempt to discuss it in depth!

I do not wholly despise the idea of pigeonholing yourself to certain types of characters, but I think that not stretching out of your boundaries is a bad practice in general. You CAN have a certain type that you really enjoy to play, but it really limits the reach of what you can do somewhat, and if everyone is playing the wide-eyed idealist, or the grumpy, grouchy edge-packed warrior, there's not much to interact over, and there's very little character conflict.

That said, allow me to pose a different question to this thread- what about character types you DON'T ever want to play, or just revile to play in general. I believe that's a much more interesting discussion to be had in that.

Yeah there are character types that I really try to avoid, even though I don't necessarily dislike other players using them...
One example is the goofy/clumsy one. It's really easy to mess up this character type and if someone can do it well, more power to them. I just don't enjoy the archetype enough to put in that effort.

 

[AnnJam]

Cazimir X What!

 

[Emeraude]

I enjoy morally grey characters. I like complexity.

 

[cirrostratus]

I've been on Amino and Wattpad for most of my roleplay life, so I've barely got to make any character who's beyond this: gentle or cheerful, humourous but not in a "rude" way, studious but not too asocial, sensitive, and empathetic to whenever the other character wails about their traumatic past, morally obliged to care about others all the time. You know, those roleplays where there's so little plot that the characters' relationship solely depends on personality compatibility rather than the scenario forcing them to be stuck with each other [thus, allowing them to have more friction]?

Ughhh...

I'm trying to explore different characters though since I'd relate to a more unfeeling or cynical character. Or a character whose curiosity isn't always for the better good -- or might not even be open-minded at all. I like characters who are irritable or intolerant to other people's sensitive spots, while also being filled with soft spots themselves. Characters who are hypocritical rather than morally consistent. Characters who lose their temper and may not always apologise. Characters who may be arrogant or disrespectful inherently, or may not like animals or kids. Great, now I sound like a butthole. I'm not actually like this [mostly], but I can easily slip into some of those roles for some reason.

I don't know if what I said even made sense, but the words are English, right?
Okay, I'll go now.
*sublimes into toxic gas*

 

[Sele]

I enjoy some contrast and angst, even if it's a fluffy slice-of-life. A little dash of angst is nice . If I'm playing something bubbly and buoyant, I think it's fun to play against someone who might be more stoical. If I play someone naive, it is fun to play against someone who is street smart. Someone gentle x a fighter, etc. Just brings in a lot of different dimensions \o/

 

[Melpomene]

Oooooh

Alright, so my biggest weakness has always been the asshole with the heart of gold. Whether I am playing them or playing against them, I absolutely love them to death. They are hard as a rock on the outside and act completely impenetrable but once they start caring about you, hoo boy are they SOFTIES. The type to do anything to protect someone they loved/cared about. Usually they have some trauma from their past that has led them to feeling like they need to encase themselves in ice to protect their emotions. Probably would fight someone for trying to hurt a puppy or a cat. Complete teddy bears at the end of the day that will pretend to complain about snuggles but secretly enjoy them. It is one of the reasons Trevor from Castlevania completely has my heart.

Second! The microscopic cog in the catastrophic plan. I love writing for characters who aren't at the center of everything. At least not completely. The world moves on without them and they aren't the ones calling the shots. They're just fighting to survive in a plan/world far bigger than themselves. This doesn't mean they can't be involved in a big plot or even at the forefront, this just means they aren't "the chosen one" or anything like that. Never once does it feel like the world necessarily centers around them but rather they are just doing the best they can to survive in that world.

Third! CHAOS. Ask any of my partners, any of my friends. I. Love. Chaotic. Characters. Just little forces of absolute chaos. You know the type that fuck shit up just to fuck shit up. Always putting their dirty little noses where they don't belong. Getting into trouble just because they can't keep their fingers off of everything. Also tend to be highly destructive.

 

[Gowi]

People always tell me I always make tsunderes, the anime archetype, but while this isn't always true I do see why. I like strong, competent female characters who might be prickly on the outside but not so prickly on the inside. I wouldn't say all of my "tsunderes" are the same character, though I do occasionally see some modicum of overlap.