Character Theory What defines a good character to you?

[The Dark Creator]

hi.
Even though it's my favorite thing to do, i've been a bit less creative on making characters for roleplays... Kinda like a writers block but for creating characters... but i can still do them, i just suck at it atm. Hence why my latest interest check is recycled from when i was having my character boom long ago. So, as a plan to motivate me and maybe even give me some good tips, what defines a good character in your eyes?

 

[rae2nerdy]

My big must have for a good character is consistency. So I break this down into two categories : Setting Consistency & Internal Consistency.

Setting Consistency - Basically this just means that the author creates a character that feels like they live in the roleplay world. I have had partners in the past try to create characters that just don't make logical sense within their setting. Ex. A woman who lives in a world where everyone has magic acting like she's going to be labelled a freak because she has a magical ability.

Internal Consistency - this is basically where you make sure that a characters personality syncs up. So like no characters that are shy but also outgoing OR anti-social yet always must be the center of attention. That doesn't make sense given their stated personality traits.

 

[LadyLuckTakeTheWheel]

Little habits and quirks. Just small, consistent things that the character does make them a lot more realistic. For example, my character Chancellor is constantly moving. She drums her fingers on the table, pats her legs and taps her feet because she’s a drummer. Its just a habit. It doesn’t even need to contribute to the plot, just a habit that adds to their character.

 

[The Dark Creator]

L LadyLuckTakeTheWheel I'll take note of that.

 

[Becker]

As a GM, I don't require people to have a section about their character's personality. I usually do this because, people are complex beings and having a paragraph or so that 'constricts' their emotions, thoughts and characteristics doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. There are days that I feel confident and that I can take on the world... and there are days, where I just want to close the door on everything and hide away. I might be consistent one day and hopelessly incompetent the next.. as I said earlier, people are complex beings and can respond differently to the same situation each time.

So for me, a good character is one that feels realistic. There are people whom are 'always this and never that' but they are quite the exception, compared to the vast majority. A good character contains alot of variety, moments of courage and honour, and moments of fear and slyness. Of course, I would not be surprised if some people might be thinking 'that sounds like a perfect-at-everything kind of character' to which I do agree to some extent. I'd say that almost everyone is capable of doing most things, given a bit of common sense of course. Although I honestly would hesitate before doing something technical like wiring electrics and trying to sew a jumper. I feel that a character should reflect that they are capable of most 'ordinary' things but may struggle with more complex tasks. You do get the occasional character that is only good at one thing and shows zero interest in anything else. Rather reminds me of Aspergers Syndrome in many respects.

To sum it up? A good character in my opinion is one that has a few interests here and there, can handle themselves the majority of the time but should consider speaking to others that have more expertise than they do in certain subjects. A socialable, easily approachable character is well liked and often finds themselves making many friends amongst the sea of 'anti-social-edgy-teens'.

 

[Idea]

1.Consistency
Consistency, I would say, is just about the most important aspect of not just characters but really writing in general. By consistency I mean both consistency of internal logic and consistency of consequence.

Consistency of internal logic is pretty much what rae2nerdy already pointed out (as internal consistency): Your character musn't contradict itself. Yes, human beings are complex, but we are not inconsistent: it's just that we are complex enough that seemingly small variables (or variables we don't even understand account) can have great effect in our behavior. Characters are ultimately simplifications of people, behavior-wise anyway.

Consistency of consequence: What are the implications of what you choose to make for your character? If they have a certain ability or something happened in their backstory, or if they behave a certain way, what led to that if anything? And, perhaps more importantly, what did that lead to? It's important to think about those things, and good characters are a continuum, branches still tied to a single tree from which they all, connected, come from, and any branches that aren't in the tip lead to other branches.

2.Individuality
A character that is consistent meets what I would call the bare minimums of a decent character. But truly great ones need more. And one way in which they are, is that good characters are individuals, living breathing individuals that exist beyond just what the story is about. Individuality is what makes that.

What are the character's goals? Do they stem from the character or from something outside of them (AKA does it feel like the author is inducing goals in the character that don't work for the character?). What does the character have beyond the plot? What little quirks , preferences etc... do they have, beyond what has any usefulness?

Good direction in characterization also helps this, which ironically can come off as tropish, but I for one, tend to find those characters that really take up just one straight path in the forming of the character much more endearing. (I feel like I didn't quite express this last point very well, I may come and edit it later)

3.Potential
With points 1 and 2, you have a great character...as far as the character sheet is concerned. While the base information for the character is great, to actually use the character and have it continue to be great I'd say a couple more things are needed, starting with potential.

Potential is simply put how much a character is inherently capable of expanding as you explore. By this I don't mean character development, but rather what avenues the character leads to explore in terms of conflicts, backstory and any kind of information, side plots etc... Potential by itself isn't necessarily great, in a fact a pretty shitty character can have a lot of shitty potential...but in general, a character that is designed well, if they have potential, will have good potential.

4.Synergy

The last point regards how the character meshes with the surroundings, with the other characters. Is the character adequate in the context of the world and plot? Is the character fitting considering what the other characters are like?

But even out of context, there are general applications for synergy: Is the character apt for interaction, in whatever way they do it best? Is the character properly suited for sharing the spotlight or are they pretty much built to steal it?


I hope you find this useful! Best of luck and happy Rping!

 

[Bone2pick]

Setting Consistency - Basically this just means that the author creates a character that feels like they live in the roleplay world. I have had partners in the past try to create characters that just don't make logical sense within their setting. Ex. A woman who lives in a world where everyone has magic acting like she's going to be labelled a freak because she has a magical ability.

I call that "world fit," and I agree that it's important. Good characters are in harmony with their setting. That includes their backstory, their tone, their goals, and their abilities.

Another quality of a good character is having a compelling goal. Characters should want to accomplish something worthy of our time—whether that's fitting in at school, investigating their local ghost stories, or slaying the dragon that continues to prey on their village. If they aren't passionate about anything, then they aren't worth my investment, no matter how beautiful or powerful they are.