Forums » RP Discussion » Looking for Ideas

Okay, I've completely changed this topic. Instead I'm looking for ideas, things I haven't done before, stuff like that. I have a character I can basically adjust to many RP environments, and I have one for modern roleplay. I want to create different characters for different genres, but I'm not coming up with ideas I particularly like. That or I'm just coming up with random universes I don't know a thing about. Which is why I'm looking for character ideas that I can have for different settings, whatever those may be.

Hmmmm, well what's your usual character type? Perhaps something you haven't done before, or out of your comfort zone

As someone who happily employs the same character in many different worlds and role-play realities, I can tell you the single most important thing is to remember your character's life goal(s) and go from there.

Revenge for a lost loved one, a life in pursuit of knowledge, a particular skill or trade that they are honing. All of those things and more can easily be shifted and molded into any setting.

The second most important thing is the basic personality and quirks of your character.

Cheerful, depressed, shy, phobias, hobbies, etc. I often tweak these things depending on what's available in a given setting. For instance, my character may be a beast slayer in a medieval setting, but a mercenary for hire in a more modern-day setting.

So settle on a personality you enjoy RPing, throw some life goals at them to see what sticks, and proceed.

@ Nikina, My usual character type seems to be a fairly good guy who can be quick in combative situations and fairly good at assessing how to proceed in other situations. That or I have someone who is either the opposite, meaning they can't do much and aren't buffed up to fight. And my characters seem to end up being really really unnaturally good guys. So I have been trying to differentiate between characters.

I feel I'm not so good with antagonist characters, and when I try roleplaying with that type of character, things seem to get crazy fast. And nobody wants their character to be beaten to a bloody pulp in the blink of an eye, and I don't want to make my antagonist powerless. I find antagonists out of my comfort zone because it's too hard to pit him against someone who won't kill him immediately, and whom he won't kill immediately.

@ Agent, That actually helps and gives me more ideas, thanks! A goal is often one thing I do like to give a character. I think the character Xeron doesn't exactly have a goal in his life, but i enjoy playing him. Basic personality and quirks, yes, quirks are mainly a fun point to add to a character. I'm just not having any ideas for what characters in what setting I want.

Apart from that, I'm basically just looking for suggestions of character types I can try, and in what settings. So if anybody has any ideas, I'm still open to suggestions.

I have a similar issue I hate playing an antagonist! I can't relate to them. If I can related to a character is some way it becomes automatically easy to play them. When I'm looking for ideas I try something different, for example most of mine are vampires, so I tired a hunter I dunno if I'm 100% happy about how she is turning out but that's rp I also find ideas in books movies and television shows.

I hope that helps.

Well, if the issue is simply what settings to play in, that's really up to you. I know some people are exclusively modern or ye olde, magical or mundane, but if you're open to anything, I'd suggest finding a setting with good characters in it before conceiving one of your own. You know, just to make sure the effort pays off.

In regards to being unable to play naughty characters, I have a similar issue! I circumvented it for one of my characters by giving him a noble core, but an inability to convey it outwardly. He has an abusive childhood, poor world outlook, drinking problems, a short temper, a bad attitude, and a crude sense of humor that inspires people to fight instead of laugh. He ends up settling for a life of crime, because he believes he can't fit in anywhere else. Most rules and laws won't apply to him and his anti-authority issues, but an ally or friend in need will never be left behind (hence the good at heart thing). He comes off as a villain as a result, but as the author I know he's just misunderstood and can still relate to him even if he seems like a jackass to everyone else. Basically, understand why your character is evil/immoral/bad and it will be easier to play them as such. Method to the madness, you know?

I also tackled this problem with another character, a scientist with a-morality (things considered evil by some are either neutral or practical to him). For instance, he believes that since humans are scientifically considered animals, their rights are equivalent. So a human experiment is no more cruel or unusual than a mouse experiment in his opinion. He feels he is doing nothing wrong as a character which allows me to relate to him as an author (even when he is strapping people to tables, sending them off for torture, or ignoring a plea for help if he sees no logical gain from offering his assistance).

Of course, it's not just evil characters that you can use this technique for. The same train of thought goes for skanky, cocky, rude, overly-affectionate, timid, crazy, or aloof characters as well. Whenever you have trouble playing a part, sit down and figure out why the character would act that way.

Because knowing is half the battle. Porkchop sandwiches.

That makes sense, thanks Andrew! With my antagonist, the first thing I decided is that he was psychotic. Why? Because he feels he has to make his mark in history, or on the world, in any way he can making him in turn, a violent person.

Thanks for the rest of the advice too. It really helped. ^^

@Nikina, with me I guess it's just a hard time finding inspiration for good characters, or characters I'll end up actually liking.