Melinoe Dark
Junior Member
I...attempted to read it, but could not get past the first Paragraph :ClosedEyesCrying: ...it was just too painful.
What Defines An Edgy Character For You?
- Thread starter Husk
- Start date
I...attempted to read it, but could not get past the first Paragraph :ClosedEyesCrying: ...it was just too painful.
Coco Adel
The Abandoned Maiden
An example of an edgy character is someone who has to rub it in your face how screwed up their life is then if your character's story just so happens to be worse they have to add brand new unknown detail about their life that they didn't want to talk about before but want to reveal nkw that you've revealed your story just so they can be more tragic than you.
Demon
999
My perspective on an edgy character starts with the Urban Dictionary definition given by Recurve as it's most relatable to what we are discussing: Adjective. Taking coolness to its extreme and generally beyond the realm of actual possibility, while at the same time seemingly unaware of how ridiculous it is. However, it's not as provocative as that definition either. The fragment I want to take and emphasize on is "Taking coolness to its extreme". Taking coolness to the extreme would be a very ignorant answer in my eyes so allow me to be a tiny bit more detailed. Edgy characters are those who aim to be badass, or unlike social norms, alike to most anime protagonists that I can imagine. For example, think of D.Gray Man, Blackcat, Naruto, etc. All of these examples hold a character who's gonna be the very best like no one ever was!
But let's note the other traits. Edgy characters are also those who aim to be very hotheaded, arrogant or just generally reclusive. However, the edgy that I feel crosses boundaries is the stereotypical emotional edgy character that most younger roleplayers create. This to me is the characters that want to be half of every race in existence, or the characters that have a very lacking backstory that is made up for with ridiculously overpowered abilities. These are the characters that exist beyond the character and to the writer itself - someone who does not balance their creations.
But let's note the other traits. Edgy characters are also those who aim to be very hotheaded, arrogant or just generally reclusive. However, the edgy that I feel crosses boundaries is the stereotypical emotional edgy character that most younger roleplayers create. This to me is the characters that want to be half of every race in existence, or the characters that have a very lacking backstory that is made up for with ridiculously overpowered abilities. These are the characters that exist beyond the character and to the writer itself - someone who does not balance their creations.
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Lorsh
Varlot
This is based on my experience on Garry's Mod, mainly.
1. They have an exotic melee weapon (fucking hate katanas), or something stupid like dual pistols.
2. They are ex-spec ops (or anything along those lines) in a roleplay that's otherwise filled with ordinary people.
3. They always wear a gas mask and/or trench coat. Bonus points if they don't ever take off their mask/reveal their face for edgy backstory reasons, or just wear a mask in general for seemingly no reason.
4. Although it's not edgy by default, having an exotic/foreign name in conjunction with the other traits makes for bonus edge points.
5. Also not edgy by default, but being a teen gives bonus edge points as well.
6. Having a "cool" nickname that they most likely gave themselves.
1. They have an exotic melee weapon (fucking hate katanas), or something stupid like dual pistols.
2. They are ex-spec ops (or anything along those lines) in a roleplay that's otherwise filled with ordinary people.
3. They always wear a gas mask and/or trench coat. Bonus points if they don't ever take off their mask/reveal their face for edgy backstory reasons, or just wear a mask in general for seemingly no reason.
4. Although it's not edgy by default, having an exotic/foreign name in conjunction with the other traits makes for bonus edge points.
5. Also not edgy by default, but being a teen gives bonus edge points as well.
6. Having a "cool" nickname that they most likely gave themselves.
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Whisker
Damnation Dignified
Edge - the byronic hero meets the rule of cool with hilariously bad results. The "edge" is essentially an attention-seeking, special snowflake character that wants to be the Bruce Willis panty-dropper of your rp.
Bonus points if they're under the age of twenty.
Bonus points if they're under the age of twenty.
Melinoe Dark
Junior Member
A different kind of edgy character. It's the type of character someone else makes purposely so that they are more relatable to your character. This is the type of character that doesn't have their own back story so they make a character like yours, often from the same race or town, especially if you have a tragic backstory and they make it that somehow some way they also suffered from whatever awful things happened in your character's past and they constantly remind you of your own back story even though you're not trying to beat people over the head with it, but they are. Like if you make it apart of your back story that your character's race is a slave race, they will constantly remind you of it.
Umbrie
Adorable Little Nymph
1. when you name your character a name that is ill suited for the tone, aesthetic, theme and region of the setting and story. a renaissance era english noblemen's daughter would not be named Sakura. if you wanted a Flower, you can't do wrong with Lillie and if you wanted an Exotic Sounding name, Alice or Ilina Works
2. when you blatantly give your character clothing that is unrealistic for the tone and aesthetic of the setting.and story, a Factory Made School Swim Suit in the Japanese 21st century style does not fit a medieval English roleplay. though gothic lolita fashion from the 21st century works in a vVctorian English setting due to gothloli being merely reproduction Victorian garb marketed towards women from their late teens to mid twenties
3. when you give your character a weapon they have no realistic means to acquire in the setting. sure, a Japanese Peasant could capture a katana from a dead samurai, but a medieval british priest has no way to gain a katana
2. when you blatantly give your character clothing that is unrealistic for the tone and aesthetic of the setting.and story, a Factory Made School Swim Suit in the Japanese 21st century style does not fit a medieval English roleplay. though gothic lolita fashion from the 21st century works in a vVctorian English setting due to gothloli being merely reproduction Victorian garb marketed towards women from their late teens to mid twenties
3. when you give your character a weapon they have no realistic means to acquire in the setting. sure, a Japanese Peasant could capture a katana from a dead samurai, but a medieval british priest has no way to gain a katana
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Most Lolita clothing is not even close to what was actually worn during that historical period.
AtlannianSpy
Alarmed and Strangerous
It's possible to identify what we're calling a an edgy character via certain tropes or actions but I think the underlying cause is a question of attitude.
Edgy characters treat heavy things lightly. Heavy can meam emotionally significant, or something that would be incresibly rare or would have serious implications within the setting, edgy characters incorporate whatever their author feels will give the character impact without giving these elements the attention and weight they deserve. Rather than elevate the character this has the opposite effect of trivialising whatever they use.
This attitude extends to the setting and characters around the edgy character. Someone who doesn't treat their own character's issues with gravity is certainly not going to extend that courtesy to other characters or elements of the setting. Just by existing edgy characters undermine the tone of everything going on around them, they make no effort to fit in and so seeing them can't help but pull any readers out of the scene.
I don't think there's any specific trait or imagery that will indelibly stain a character. It's about attitude and consideration for how your character fits into the world and cast around them. The good news is that if there's particular tropes or imagery that is typically associated with edgy characters that you actually like you can totally do it. Just be considerate and put the effort inand it'll be fine.
Edgy characters treat heavy things lightly. Heavy can meam emotionally significant, or something that would be incresibly rare or would have serious implications within the setting, edgy characters incorporate whatever their author feels will give the character impact without giving these elements the attention and weight they deserve. Rather than elevate the character this has the opposite effect of trivialising whatever they use.
This attitude extends to the setting and characters around the edgy character. Someone who doesn't treat their own character's issues with gravity is certainly not going to extend that courtesy to other characters or elements of the setting. Just by existing edgy characters undermine the tone of everything going on around them, they make no effort to fit in and so seeing them can't help but pull any readers out of the scene.
I don't think there's any specific trait or imagery that will indelibly stain a character. It's about attitude and consideration for how your character fits into the world and cast around them. The good news is that if there's particular tropes or imagery that is typically associated with edgy characters that you actually like you can totally do it. Just be considerate and put the effort inand it'll be fine.
Umbrie
Adorable Little Nymph
i consider it close enough for the Sake of fiction. as long as it isn't excessive. Gothic Lolita usually works in fantasy roleplays as long as it isn't the overdone mary sue hot topic version.
