I "always" play the "bad guy". First quotes for don't always, and second quotes for whatever it is we're really talking about here.
Whatever they are, they tend to have negative qualities, like arrogance and narcissism, along with questionable morality, but they have to be capable of playing with others at some level, even if it's begrudging acceptance that they can't crash the moon into the planet without a little help somewhere along the line.
My current character did the Face-Heel Turn. She was sweet and good, and now she's a seething ball of hate that makes her "difficult" to RP, but she has a job that keeps her able to work with others when necessary. Quotes for difficult, because there are plenty of tricksy ways for a creative player to have fun with an unpleasant character without sabotaging or outright destroying interactions with others.
I prefer the jerk on the outside roles, whether actually morally questionable or simply misguided with an attitude, but when playing with strangers, I keep the reins on to some degree. I might be more sarcastic than outright offensive, or I'll use body language to convey opinions rather than outright say what she might be thinking.
I find it difficult to play the charming with ulterior motives type, but I think those can be some of the most frightening when it's discovered what they're really up to.
And I've had the same "stealing all the girls despite not caring at all about girls" situation Blue mentioned develop across multiple characters. I always thought of it as a black leather jackets and motorcycles sort of situation. They just seem so cool and aloof, smoking a cigarette and glaring at everyone else's cheer and friendliness. And there's something to the wanting to fix them, too. Maybe that's a better way to think of it than bad guys and heroes. Some people gotta be the snarky assholes racing their motorcycles down suburban streets in the middle of the night. Yes, they're bad guys but they're not "bad guys," really, even if they are professional thieves or hit men or assassins or what have you.
As for villainy, I don't mind filling that role, but it's hard to do as a main character, I think, yes. Much easier to do as a side character in someone else's story. Even my most moustache-twirling character was in a guild full of moustache-twirlers, so when you're just one of many, there's a sort of uneasy camaraderie that doesn't feel as villainous as it does standing alone against the white knight whose girlfriend you just tied to the train tracks. Which I had the occasional opportunity to do to much gleeful effect, but it wasn't his everyday life.
Whatever they are, they tend to have negative qualities, like arrogance and narcissism, along with questionable morality, but they have to be capable of playing with others at some level, even if it's begrudging acceptance that they can't crash the moon into the planet without a little help somewhere along the line.
My current character did the Face-Heel Turn. She was sweet and good, and now she's a seething ball of hate that makes her "difficult" to RP, but she has a job that keeps her able to work with others when necessary. Quotes for difficult, because there are plenty of tricksy ways for a creative player to have fun with an unpleasant character without sabotaging or outright destroying interactions with others.
I prefer the jerk on the outside roles, whether actually morally questionable or simply misguided with an attitude, but when playing with strangers, I keep the reins on to some degree. I might be more sarcastic than outright offensive, or I'll use body language to convey opinions rather than outright say what she might be thinking.
I find it difficult to play the charming with ulterior motives type, but I think those can be some of the most frightening when it's discovered what they're really up to.
And I've had the same "stealing all the girls despite not caring at all about girls" situation Blue mentioned develop across multiple characters. I always thought of it as a black leather jackets and motorcycles sort of situation. They just seem so cool and aloof, smoking a cigarette and glaring at everyone else's cheer and friendliness. And there's something to the wanting to fix them, too. Maybe that's a better way to think of it than bad guys and heroes. Some people gotta be the snarky assholes racing their motorcycles down suburban streets in the middle of the night. Yes, they're bad guys but they're not "bad guys," really, even if they are professional thieves or hit men or assassins or what have you.
As for villainy, I don't mind filling that role, but it's hard to do as a main character, I think, yes. Much easier to do as a side character in someone else's story. Even my most moustache-twirling character was in a guild full of moustache-twirlers, so when you're just one of many, there's a sort of uneasy camaraderie that doesn't feel as villainous as it does standing alone against the white knight whose girlfriend you just tied to the train tracks. Which I had the occasional opportunity to do to much gleeful effect, but it wasn't his everyday life.