Viewpoint What kind of “roles” do you enjoy in 1x1 plots?

[Idea]

To clarify the question above, I do not mean pairings. Rather by a role I mean who your character is to the plot, what’s particular about them. For instance, in a plot about a young talented superhero saved and trained by an older dying hero, for roles you’d have:
—-> Mentor character, dying character, experienced superhero
—-> New person on the block, still learning, talented

A person more interested in some kind of power fantasy for instance might particular appreciate the “talented” role here as it gives them room to make their character exceptionally strong within the context of the plot and setting, whereas someone looking for more melodramatic tension might favor the great drama that a “dying character” type of role can provide.


Hopefully I managed to explain myself properly, I’m really not sure how to word this. Nonetheless, if anyone managed to understand what I’m trying to say, I’d be happy to hear your favorites!

 

[Jannah]

One role I particularly really like is somebody who is thrust into a completely unfamiliar situation or society. A fish out of water so to speak. This can be a time traveller visiting an unfamiliar time period, a person stranded in another country with a culture they're largely unfamiliar with, etc. I love exploring how they learn to adjust and all that good stuff.

Another is corrupted authority figures. There's just something so fun about playing out the political intrigue that goes along with being a power hungry military commander, dictator, etc.

 

[Idea]

Another is corrupted authority figures. There's just something so fun about playing out the political intrigue that goes along with being a power hungry military commander, dictator, etc.

That's pretty interesting actually, taking on that more villainous-seeming role. Do you enjoy "playing the villain" outside of corrupted authority figures as well, or is it more focused on that particular kind of strong flaw (the hunger for power whilst already having some degree of power).

 

[Jannah]

That's pretty interesting actually, taking on that more villainous-seeming role. Do you enjoy "playing the villain" outside of corrupted authority figures as well, or is it more focused on that particular kind of strong flaw (the hunger for power whilst already having some degree of power).

Honestly, depends on the setting and plot for me. However, I do love playing morally grey types in nearly any situation.

 

[Zef The Owl]

Being I favor long term action adventure RPs, I kinda favor "The Newbie", someone inexperienced and new who has a ton of growing room and ability to grow. Learning new ways to survive in their world, obtaining skills, important items, allies, that sort of thing. Make them more of a blank slate so they can be affected by the world around them.

 

[Syntra]

I tend to like difficult characters, whatever that means. You know, assholes and morally grey types, but also those with a ridiculously strict moral code. Foreigners, too, and fish out of water. Lunatics. Basically, I believe that conflict is the foundation of pretty much any plot, and I aim to provide it in spades.

 

[Jannah]

I tend to like difficult characters, whatever that means. You know, assholes and morally grey types, but also those with a ridiculously strict moral code. Foreigners, too, and fish out of water. Lunatics. Basically, I believe that conflict is the foundation of pretty much any plot, and I aim to provide it in spades.

Yep. I'm pretty flexible too, but do definitely have my favourites.

 

[Onmyoji]

hmmm I like playing what I call 'the paladin' roles. Characters with strict moral code, sometimes even fanatics of justice. I just love pushing them into situations where they have do choose between duty and feelings, choose lesser evil despite their principles and so on XD

I also like playing 'mentor' characters.

And I keep trying to go out of my way and play 'a damsel in distress' but it never works out. I have a preference towards strong hero characters who would save the damsel instead XD

 

[nerdy tangents]

Exposition Fairy here. I love world building so inevitably I play the character that is in charge of explaining the setting to other players (mostly because I tend to be the partner in charge of building the world)

That said in the rare instances where I am not building the world I actually like to play the social extremes.

I like playing peace keepers that play off other people’s bad behavior OR the difficult characters that are making life hell for others.

The position I play is usually based on how comfortable my partner is with their character being disliked.

A character type I love that I never get to play is the married person finding their way post happily ever after (they already got married had the kids etc but something happens and they have to grapple with whether they are truly happy).

It’s rare cuz people tend to not roleplay marriage instead focusing on the “falling in love” portions but I do like that kind of situation.

 

[Idea]

Being I favor long term action adventure RPs, I kinda favor "The Newbie", someone inexperienced and new who has a ton of growing room and ability to grow. Learning new ways to survive in their world, obtaining skills, important items, allies, that sort of thing. Make them more of a blank slate so they can be affected by the world around them.

Why a blank slate? And I suppose, a blank slate in what sense? Just their current abilities / knowledge or are you referring to personality as well?

I tend to like difficult characters, whatever that means. You know, assholes and morally grey types, but also those with a ridiculously strict moral code. Foreigners, too, and fish out of water. Lunatics. Basically, I believe that conflict is the foundation of pretty much any plot, and I aim to provide it in spades.

Do you believe conflict between the player characters specifically is essential, or do you think maybe at in certain roleplays/stories/plots it maybe wouldn't be necessary and other types of conflict would suffice?

hmmm I like playing what I call 'the paladin' roles. Characters with strict moral code, sometimes even fanatics of justice. I just love pushing them into situations where they have do choose between duty and feelings, choose lesser evil despite their principles and so on XD

I also like playing 'mentor' characters.

And I keep trying to go out of my way and play 'a damsel in distress' but it never works out. I have a preference towards strong hero characters who would save the damsel instead XD

Do you usually try to keep those conflicts morally grey or is it more of a "what's right vs what I care about" type of situations (like saving a bunch of innocents versus saving a single family member / romantic interest, to use a classic example).

And why do you think the damnel in distress doesn't work out for you? You seem to find the role appealing, but is there something when you actually play that doesn't work out? What's the difference between the ideal and the in-practice case for you?

Exposition Fairy here. I love world building so inevitably I play the character that is in charge of explaining the setting to other players (mostly because I tend to be the partner in charge of building the world)

I love those too, for pretty much the same reason XD

I like playing peace keepers that play off other people’s bad behavior

What do you mean?

 

[Jannah]

Being I favor long term action adventure RPs, I kinda favor "The Newbie", someone inexperienced and new who has a ton of growing room and ability to grow. Learning new ways to survive in their world, obtaining skills, important items, allies, that sort of thing. Make them more of a blank slate so they can be affected by the world around them.

Oh yes, or the reluctant hero types who don't even really want to be there in the first place. Those are always fun.

 

[Zef The Owl]

Why a blank slate? And I suppose, a blank slate in what sense? Just their current abilities / knowledge or are you referring to personality as well?

Well not a complete blank slate, but comparatively speaking. I still give them a personality, complete with nuances and flaws, and usually some measure of basic abilities though usually not yet well defined.

The point is to make a believable character, but give it tons of room to grow, either teaming up with other characters or getting pulled into other characters stories and adapting to it. It gives room for powers / abilities / skills to develop and show marked improvement over time, furthermore it makes them more adaptable to the characters they meet, more easily melding into their story. Someone relatively 'new' to a world of, say adventuring or the like who needs to lean on the experience of others, and becomes thereby influenced by their quirks and methods.

Perhaps your soldier has the paladin really rub off on them, and their message of peace and healing jives with them so they start picking up healing magic and becoming more of a cleric.

Or perhaps they're enchanted by the local witch, and become more of a Blackguard who walks on the moral edge due to how close to them they've gotten.


I enjoy it and, other RPers seem to enjoy it when their characters have a noticeable effect on yours.

 

[Idea]

I enjoy it and, other RPers seem to enjoy it when their characters have a noticeable effect on yours.

Absolutely agreed! I love that you have such a cooperative approach, it can really help bring an RP to life and make everyone feel appreciated.

 

[nerdy tangents]

Idea so what I mean is sometimes my partners like to play a difficult character. A loner, a snobby person, a rude person, etc. basically a character that is just unpleasant to be around.

Those kind of characters tend to work really well against “peacekeepers” because it’s a nice contrast. Plus it allows me to flesh out what is usually a pretty bland character type.

As even “nice people” have their limits and can be snarky in their own head (even if they are nice outloud).

So I feel like it allows for excellent character growth to play the contrasting personality types.

 

[Onmyoji]

Do you usually try to keep those conflicts morally grey or is it more of a "what's right vs what I care about" type of situations (like saving a bunch of innocents versus saving a single family member / romantic interest, to use a classic example).

It depends on the roleplay and the character. Can be either.

And why do you think the damnel in distress doesn't work out for you? You seem to find the role appealing, but is there something when you actually play that doesn't work out? What's the difference between the ideal and the in-practice case for you?

More like, I'm curios to try but I find it rather boring to play it the way I wanted. When I'm trying to rp the more 'dependent' character it doesn't work well for me because I lose interest much faster. I suppose I still need to figure it out how I want to play such role, but I don't have many chances to do so because my rp agenda is full.

 

[Idea]

More like, I'm curios to try but I find it rather boring to play it the way I wanted. When I'm trying to rp the more 'dependent' character it doesn't work well for me because I lose interest much faster. I suppose I still need to figure it out how I want to play such role, but I don't have many chances to do so because my rp agenda is full.

I see. What if the character was actively trying to be "a damsel in distress" so to speak. Maybe they want to encourage another character to improve themselves, or help them make a name for themselves/improve their reputation and so they are attempting to hone this other character into a hero of sorts. Just a random suggestion.

 

[Onmyoji]

I see. What if the character was actively trying to be "a damsel in distress" so to speak. Maybe they want to encourage another character to improve themselves, or help them make a name for themselves/improve their reputation and so they are attempting to hone this other character into a hero of sorts. Just a random suggestion.

Like, doing it intentionally? That's a good idea, I'll consider it for future reference

 

[Comicwolf]

Werewolf x werewolf, could be platonic or romantic
Basically mates finding each other

 

[Funnier President]

I love to play the awkward, wholesome guy, idk why, I just love to do it

 

[Syntra]

Do you believe conflict between the player characters specifically is essential, or do you think maybe at in certain roleplays/stories/plots it maybe wouldn't be necessary and other types of conflict would suffice?

Well, obviously it isn't essential, as many stories are built around some outside threat and a group of people cooperating in order to end it, but I just find it more appealing I'm not saying that characters need to argue 24/7 either-- that's counter-productive. I just enjoy it when people with different perspectives clash and, ultimately, reach some form of understanding. It's also worth noting that basically all I do is slowburn romance woven into some grander plot, so these character quirks help to keep the burn... well, slow.

 

[CrystalMemoria]

I haven't done any roleplaying on the site yet, but I like using characters that are newbies that sort of grow into being stronger characters, if that makes sense? Someone that doesn't necessarily start knowing what to do, but through the course of the story becomes someone that can be relied on. So I guess someone that goes from rather dependent to independent?

 

[Crayons]

I had to think about this because I don't make characters for solely 1x1s that often, but I have discovered that almost all my 1x1 character roles are enemies/rivals to friends/lovers. people on opposite sides having to work together, or people with opposing ideologies, or just mismatched personalities. It's obviously my go-to interaction strategy. I feel like I should branch out now. :/

I also love moral/internal conflict and jokey/trickster characters. If I get a great strait laced character to play off it's awesome, but it's also fun if the other person plays for laughs as well.

 

[Daisie]

Redemption arcs aaaaauuuugh they're so good

I really like crummy characters who learn to be better over time. Whether my partner is playing them or I'm playing them, I just love them. An angry and judgemental person being forced to work together with a good and just person, or a dangerous criminal having to hold himself back around an equally dangerous, but upstanding war veteran...

Just any role where the bad guy realizes he's the bad guy and has a crisis about it.

 

[Crayons]

Redemption arcs aaaaauuuugh they're so good

I really like crummy characters who learn to be better over time. Whether my partner is playing them or I'm playing them, I just love them. An angry and judgemental person being forced to work together with a good and just person, or a dangerous criminal having to hold himself back around an equally dangerous, but upstanding war veteran...

Just any role where the bad guy realizes he's the bad guy and has a crisis about it.

I love redemption arcs! I live for them!

 

[Evoker42]

Typically, I always seem to end up with the grizzled veteran that's just so routine in that day to day life that he doesn't miss a beat. Action/conflict are stimulating for me in a roleplay, so it fits almost always. Usually one that might run across some beast, creature, enemy, or greenhorn. Which leads to a good friendship or what have you.

If you're familiar with SCP settings, a secure team member that runs into an SCP when he's split from his team and they become partners is always fun. That's just me!