CecilDMMasters
Member
Hmm... the idea of a character who is a massive jerk and is always actively plotting against the other characters is actually an interesting concept.
Like, you're forced to work with them because the world is in danger or something but then when you defeat the villain, they become the villain by grabbing the macguffin that was important to the plot or some such thing.
Clashing characters who have to work together for a goal or a character who is a spy the whole time typically work due to both character having a stake in the situation. The first if they have the same goal they will both be in the situation of hating each other but needing to work around it to not completely alienate the other. In the second they won't go so far as to run off the character they are using to get what they want. Their is enough to have the jerk still make the plot work for all characters.
The issue with the characters and their players I'm referring to are that:
A: They don't ever tend to give an actual reason to put up with them. The plot is usually all in their characters benefit and you just frankly need to play a huge push over who I guess as toxic clingy syndrome and won't leave their character no matter what.
B: The plot is pretty much ALL tension and trying to make you and your character throw up your hands and be "Fine whatever. We'll do it your way!" You try to move the plot along and they just gotta lay in the tension and disrupt things with the jerk factor. The jerk IS THE PLOT!
I have a RP going right now where two of my partners characters are being quite toxic to one of mine due to issues with his lifestyle and his family. But they are working together to keep many people from dying. Mine concedes he can't boot them away and they concede the group needs him and his allies. Doesn't stop the mocking, yelling, pouting and causing tension among the group in general. But it's plot based and doesn't stop the whole story.
In a previous RP I ended their was no stakes in the RP other than the jerk didn't get what they wanted. Him getting what he wanted seemed bad for the populace of he area in general. He already made it clear he had no plans to even pay my character for helping him. It literally was just "Well, if your character leaves then we don't have an RP." So we didn't have an RP.