Things You Love, BUT Would Likely Never RP?

[13uddy]

This thread was inspired by a conversation with a few friends over the last few days and is a general question, not FFXIV specific.

 

A friend of mine in another game was trying to recruit me to an RP guild she is in.  However, the guild's theme is that they are all vampires or in some way connected to vampires (minions, waiting to be turned, etc.).  Now I will admit I'm borderline obsessed with vampires.  I have numerous books that are about vampires, vampire folklore, books that describe different "breeds" of vampire in various other books, vampire like creatures in various cultures and so on, one of my favorite TV series of all time is "Forever Knight" about an 800 year old vampire working as a homicide detective, I have my own fangs and much, much more.  When I declined, she was quite surprised.

 

I just can't do it.  I've done it before, and I may do it again at some point, but right now I'm completely burned out on vampires in RP.  That isn't to say that I despise people that RP vampires, and there are some really amazing players that have build truly unique vampire characters, but it feels a bit overdone to me.  

 

When some other friends found out and asked me why (or, more humorously, asked if I was feeling okay), it made me think about what else I like but would currently not or may never RP.

 

- Jedi or Sith.  As much as I adore Star Wars, the idea of playing a Jedi has never appealed to me.  While playing a Sith is more attractive, I'm still not all that interested.  I don't mind playing a low-level Force sensitive individual (such as someone who feels an empathic connection to animals), but I'd much rather RP a Mandalorian, smuggler, Imperial soldier, cantina worker or multiple other things.  

 

- Evil characters.  I love a good fictional villain and I really don't mind playing a bad guy.  Heck, playing a bad guy is pretty fun!  But there are various layers of "bad", and I can only go so far.  I would much rather play a character of moral ambiguity rather than someone who kicks kittens just for the heck of it.  I would rather play someone with the mindset of Magneto or Darth Vader, someone who is bad but is bad for a somewhat valid reason, such as an honest belief that they are working towards the greater good or that is seeking revenge for some perceived wrong that they or someone they cared about suffered.

 

- "Superman" level superheroes.  I may be a bit of a hypocrite since I played a Green Lantern character in an RP for several years, but I usually prefer characters that aren't essentially unbeatable.  Where is the fun in that?  Even my GL character had a lower powered ring (based on the rings that GL John Stewart gave some kids in the comic series "Green Lantern: Mosaic", which allowed force fields, language translation and flight, but weren't on par with the rings worn by actual members of the Green Lantern Corps).  I also played an alternate reality version of Superboy at one point, but his power levels were much, much lower (closer to Captain America than Superman in terms of strength and other abilities, not invulnerable and could leap long distances but not actually fly).  There has to be some challenge for the character.  An unbeatable character can be challenging and fun to write, but it is harder for me to relate to a character like that.  

 

-  Time Lords.  Similar to the above situation, I have had a Gallifreyan character, but I didn't actually play a Time Lord (not everyone from Gallifrey is a Time Lord, such as the more tribal Outsiders).  However, it isn't that I find the idea boring, I just worry I'll grow too attached to a specific personality and have trouble changing if a regeneration ever came about.  I would much rather play a character in the vein of the Doctor's companions, someone who isn't likely to have a "get out of dying free" card.  Or someone with the personality (and possibly the good looks) of Jack Harkness.

 

- Asian girls.  I have absolutely no problem playing a female character.  But I won't play a girl who looks to be of Asian descent for one simple reason:  I'd never get anything done because I'd just keep staring at my character and thinking she's gorgeous.  :blush:

[Aaron]

No joke id rp Morgan Freeman and narrate everyones rp if I could, but apparently that wouldn't work out well.

[Flashhelix]

I can't RP a robot well, the models obviously don't allow good-looking obvious robots and any "android" type lore is extremely iffy.

[Roda]

A creepy Lala, or a pirate princess Roe.

I'd love to just create characters for the sole purpose of RPing but, alas, I'm running on the poor man's sub. '3'

[-no longer matters-]

A fail dashing womanizing Lalafel.

 

I tried once but couldn't pull it off right but the concept is just amazingly hilarious to me.

[Momo]

Evil characters...one done well is just the best thing...I can barely manage chaotic neutral without feeling so bad for the things my character does, that they have to become chaotic good at worst :geek: >>>  :frustrated:

[Zyrusticae]

You know, I tried to think of something, but I'm having serious trouble doing so.

 

I mean, if I really, really love something, I'll find SOME avenue to RP it in. It won't necessarily be anything more than a quick one-shot, but I'll do it.

 

I guess the one thing that I could say would be a long and involved storyline that involved heavy and fast developments with a concluding arc. That just ain't gonna happen. Too much planning involved, and RP is anything but conducive to planning (unless you have really good partners, that is - and I don't).

[Faye]

- Asian girls.  I have absolutely no problem playing a female character.  But I won't play a girl who looks to be of Asian descent for one simple reason:  I'd never get anything done because I'd just keep staring at my character and thinking she's gorgeous.  :blush:

 

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

Multiple levels of squick here.

[Virella]

Halfbreeds. Love them to bits, but I got a hard time playing them without models available!

[Asmodean]

This style of character : http://rollplaywestmarches.wikia.com/wiki/Doctor_Grigori_Petrovich

 

I love see this d&d game of the player playing him and god will it be fun but it would feel a bit too god modish >.>. Also I'm bad at doing evil characters.

[Sylentmana]

Truly evil characters. When I try they always come across a comical and not all that evil.

[Hammersmith]

A Dudley Dooright riff.

 

The requirement to maintain that kind of earnest enthusiasm would kill me.

[13uddy]

Halfbreeds. Love them to bits, but I got a hard time playing them without models available!

 

Oh, that is a good one!  Even in games with an extensive set of customization options, that can be really difficult.  I've seen far too many interesting and unique characters fade away or killed off because even though they fit the lore of their setting, the customization and character models were too limited (such as a Half Elf that was of a Dark Elf/Human pairing rather than a normal Elf/Human pairing).

[Sigil.9054]

I would love to RP crossovers with other worlds that I've had a Seldi in. (Different character, but similar name and setup in each world). Only problem is, I don't think I could do it well, and even if I could, I know a lot of people would hate it based on the idea of crossovers alone.

 

And I don't blame them for that. It's muddy waters at best, and often done poorly.

 

Still, I'd love to be able to pull it off.

[13uddy]

I would love to RP crossovers with other worlds that I've had a Seldi in.  (Different character, but similar name and setup in each world).  Only problem is, I don't think I could do it well, and even if I could, I know a lot of people would hate it based on the idea of crossovers alone.  

 

And I don't blame them for that.  It's muddy waters at best, and often done poorly.

 

Still, I'd love to be able to pull it off.

 

I've actually done something like that before, but as short stories rather than actual RP.  Most of them were done strictly in a non-canon and humorous way, but I have done a few that were a little more serious in tone.  I honestly can't say if they were good or not, and very few have been shared outside my circle of friends, but they were really fun to write.

[Momo]

I want to amend, evil characters still is totally true(!), but...hybrid characters, as in the case of genetically spliced Allagan characters.  While camping for Ultima in what I am now deeming a case of momentary insanity, I was thinking, "Wow, really cool that I am gonna get these horns!  Wouldn't that be so interesting to have a character that escaped from Azys La after the MSQ happens, and then sort of lived among all the normal people of Eorzea...but had these awesome horns since he is crossed with Ultima or a Behemoth or something!".  Then promptly slapped myself in the head, and realized how far out of my normal play style and character creation that would be...I still think it kind of a cool idea though...:cactuar:

[Dat Oni]

I would love for Edgar to one day have a kid of his own, but I feel as though that is represented enough through his animated doll. On top of that, I know the hassle of PCs carrying around NPCs with them at all times, and I imagine the workload involved with caring for a child would not translate well into walk-up RP ("Why aren't you at home watching the kid?"). Shan-Shan is always on Edgar's person, sticking her head out of his bag, and her lack of want or need for food or water, along with her ability to care for herself when needed, makes her much better suited for a child and much easier to roleplay.

 

It'd be nice if Ed ever became a dad, great for his character, but it just isn't happening.

[Ignacius]

I actually do not RP women.  That's rather common these days, but I know that, experienced as I am, I would never do it convincingly enough for my own standards.

[13uddy]

It'd be nice if Ed ever became a dad, great for his character, but it just isn't happening.

 

That is something I've also wanted to RP at some point for quite a few years (not in FFXIV exclusively, but in MMO based RP in general), but MOST games mechanics make it extremely difficult unless you just want to say the kid is at home and never seen within the game.  I really don't mind if people do that, but it just isn't something I want to do myself.  

 

Closest I've ever come was a group of friends and I started off in one game as a family (parents, the dad's brother and three older teen kids), but that is quite different.

[K'nahli]

As a member of some large military force alongside tons of other RPers whom are all engaging in the same plot - particularly one loosely based upon the game's storyline.

 

I mean like several different companies from the different GC's, all with their respective roles and all hinging upon the success and failures of those around them.

 

 

Also a youthful and spritely adventurer travelling around the realm with a companion.

[13uddy]

As a member of some large military force alongside tons of other RPers whom are all engaging in the same plot - particularly one loosely based upon the game's storyline.

 

I mean like several different companies from the different GC's, all with their respective roles and all hinging upon the success and failures of those around them.

 

I'll admit that I had no interest in that sort of RP until I played Star Wars Galaxies and got involved with a loose affiliation of guilds that were Imperial and Rebel military organizations.  It was simultaneously demanding and rewarding.  IC everything was as you would expect, with the Imperials being a pretty strict pro-human military group, and the Rebels operating cells and stuff like that.  OOCly, though, everyone got along famously (for the most part).  If someone from one faction found a good harvesting spot for good resources, they let the other side know.  They even worked together to get some special events with some dev involvement (Darth Vader leading the Imperials in to a PVP battle was fun!).

[Caspar]

Character concepts I'd like to rp, but probably cannot do due to time constraints:

 

1. Cursed Sword: An bloodthirsty weapon, like the sword of Kullervo or Storm Bringer, that twists the personality of its wielder to suit its needs. The character in question is the weapon the in game model wields, not the wielder, but I would rp both, hiding the weapon if the character is not under its influence. This is something I've wanted to play since my pen and paper days. Basically, a magic item or weapon familiar that has its own stats and intelligence score separate from the player character wielding it. The mediocre player character is disposable and is replaced several times during a campaign. I would use a generic name such as "Unusual Stranger," or "Unsettling Onlooker" and use a pack of Fantasia to repeatedly change the character's appearance whenever its wielder dies and a new person is possessed. I tend to like playing characters who are abnormal personality-wise and cannot coexist easily with society. An intelligent sword, which only aspires to cut, and is just as willing to slaughter innocents as it is the wicked, might be interesting to play, especially since each new user can interact with it and struggle for control in a different way. Depending on how sympathetic they are, other rpers might want to just kill them or save them somehow from the sword. Can't do for obvious reasons, as I don't have the time to make an alt, lvl it to 60, and make a dark knight, AND find a suitable "evil sword" for glamor, all while buying fantasia to change "wielders."

2. Mad Bomber: A black sheep from a formerly noble family, she is wealthy, but generally disavowed by her own kin. Her compulsive pyromania and love of guns and explosions is the shame of the clan, and she seeks adventure to satiate her twisted thrill. She has a rose motif. Her taste for the theatric leads her to make decisions which endanger others for the sake of creating the perfect dramatic build-up, but it is her cloistered upbringing and inability to relieve stress that led her to such extreme self-destructive behavior. Maybe something akin to an Eorzean equivalent of a compulsive confessor, or a mad bomber; she'd claim responsibility for any big terrorist activity even if it didn't involve her. Can't play this as I don't have time, and I'm not sure I could give her enough depth with the idea as simple as it is now. I'd need to give it enough work to make others like her and pity her as much as they loathe her. Not even really sure if I'd make the character female or male, actually.

3. A trader/information broker/strategist: A recycled idea from some older pen and paper concepts. A notable strategist and warrior, he lost his chance at battlefield glory from an ignoble riding accident, leaving him lame and useless. He now uses his tactical acumen to make money in trade, and is more sour than a rotten lemon. He'd be a lot like a Suikoden strategist archetype, or Zhuge Liang, as I've always liked that sort of character. I don't know if I could do the character justice though, as information broker and seedy merchant overlap with a lot of players on here, it feels like. And I am not that sociable in game, so I would have trouble developing lots of contacts and allies. With the lack of large-scale conflict among players, there wouldn't be a demand for a strategist.

[Threndual]

I'd love to RP as the ring leader in an underground crime syndicate in Ul'dah, trading information for gil, shaking down the locals etc. I have storylines coming out of my ears that I could put into effect, the only issue is my time schedule IRL prevents me from dedicating myself fully to it.

[13uddy]

Character concepts I'd like to rp, but probably cannot do due to time constraints:

 

1. Cursed Sword:

2. Mad Bomber: 

3. A trader/information broker/strategist:

 

Sorry for snipping the bulk of the post for space.  

 

I can't help but wish you had the time/funds to play one of those because they are all very cool ideas.  The cursed sword character might be a bit tricky to play without coming across as cheesy, but I've seen it played very well before.  And one of my old gaming friends used to play the information broker type character, so I've always liked seeing that sort of character and seeing where their stories go even if I'm not personally involved because they have a lot of potential for interesting interactions and developments.

 

I'd love to RP as the ring leader in an underground crime syndicate in Ul'dah, trading information for gil, shaking down the locals etc. I have storylines coming out of my ears that I could put into effect, the only issue is my time schedule IRL prevents me from dedicating myself fully to it.

 

I'll admit, I REALLY enjoy seeing those kinds of characters (even if my characters usually don't get along with them or their gangs/crews/etc.) since they have a lot of potential for interesting stories and interactions.  

 

If you ever change your mind and decide to give one a try, let me know.  I might be interested in making an alt to try my hand at playing one of their underlings or something some time down the road.