Roleplaying a Job: A checklist

[Mercurias]

Hello, ladies and gents! I've seen a huge amount of discussion about roleplaying a job (Dragoon, Paladin, etc) in the RPC forums, and what I would like to do is assemble a checklist of things to do before actually going through with the concept of playing a character whose story (or backstory) contains them acquiring some of these powerful, difficult-to-make-and-be-lore-friendly characters. 

 

The main purpose if this checklist is to establish something of a way for a player to enjoy their concept without being seen by others as a bad roleplayer. Some of these might sound a little bit mean, but I promise you that I don't intend them to be.

 

1) If I took the job away from my character, would she/he still be interesting to others and fun to roleplay?

 

One of the biggest problems I've seen about characters who are based on a job rather than on other concepts is that they can be a bit limited. The personality is often fleshed around how cool it is to be a White Mage/Dragoon/Ninja/Scholar/whichever rather than around literally anything else but how the person fights or casts spells. In my opinion, this creates a very difficult character to roleplay because, frankly, most people don't want to hang around that kind of character.

 

Oftentimes, the very best characters I've seen who roleplay a job are the ones you never know do it until the very last second, when suddenly they do something extraordinary because they don't have a choice. All of the things you know about him or her suddenly click into place, and you suddenly realize that your friend or enemy has been hiding away something totally out of this world. 

 

There are few things quite so memorable as when a fully-fleshed out character you thought you knew somehow adds an additional dimension to him or herself. Jobs are best applied when the characters using them would be truly engaging and interesting without them.

 

2) Does my character's job give me so much power that I'm too difficult for most people to try and fight?

 

Okay be honest, we've all seen someone casting Holy when surrounded by enemies as their first maneuver and thought "Godmoder. I'll never RP with him/her again."

 

The point of roleplay isn't to win. It's to tell an engaging story. When you become an untouchable god walking among mere mortals, you're going to begin to find people won't want to be around you, and I'm not going to blame them for it IC or OOC.

 

There's no point in conflict where the outcome is predetermined. Don't be a god. Be a mortal wit just a little something extra. If a White Mage/Black Mage/Summoner, let your spells of summoning, healing, or destruction be disrupted by a punch to the head or an arrow to the shoulder. Maybe even don't be so far along the path where you have those game-ending spells like Flare or Holy, or rightly play them as being too dangerous to use (Holy sucking the life out of the surrounding area, Flare taking all of your aether for a time, summoning fiery ifrit meaning that the egi could accidentally set someone on fire, using a jump ability indoors knocking out out when you hit your head on the ceiling).

 

3) Does my character's background story match up to the job I want for him/her?

 

Let's face it, there is going to be a period in time where you love the idea of, say, having a Roegadyn Dragoon. A massive spear-wielding warrior who sails through the air and delivers a strike through that reinforced lance with so much force behind it due to the jump power and your mass that it leaves a crater behind which liquefies the person who was the Roegadyn's target and sends the others nearby flying DBZ-style. Awesome.

 

But that's the end-result. How do you get there?

 

Remember that point 1 still applies. You're trying to build a character who would be engaging if nobody ever even knew that your Roegadyn was a Dragoon.

 

Where is she from? What happened in her life that made her want to take up a spear? Did she learn anything else first? Was she ever married? Kids? Does she have surviving family? What's her favorite color? Is she a picky eater? Does she like being cuddled when she's upset or does she want to go off and be alone? Is she bad about just leaving her laundry on the floor until wash day? What's her favorite drink? Does she blush easily? What are her hobbies? Does she have an important memento with a story attached? Has she ever lost a loved one?

 

All those questions up there? Those are only the beginning of what you should ask when making a real character. The job should be incidental to that, its prerequisites woven into the backstory to look seamless and natural, with life's own twists and turns that eventually lead to the character being who she is today.

 

It isn't easy, but it's the most important part of building a character who is going to be lasting, memorable, and engaging both for yourself and others. 

 

Here are some pretty good links that help with the process:

A great list of questions to ask about your character done on this forum.

A wonderful 'getting to know your character' Q&A for creative writing.

A list of MORE Q&As.

 

4) Is my concept lore-friendly?

 

Everyone talks about lore as if breaking it means you're breaking a law. This isn't actually the case, but lore IS the basis on which everyone builds their characters and the game builds its world. Going against that is, uh, sort of stating that you aren't following the same rules everyone else is, and most of the time those rules are in place for a very good reason (godmoding, metagaming, etc).

 

Lore checks are actually also a really good way of showing that you're also not overpowered as a character, which is another huge plus.

 

My aforementioned femroe example above would actually be very difficult to do in lore. Given that Dragoons are an order of Ishgardian knights, and Ishgard is extremely xenophobic, non-Ishgardian Dragoons are very, very rare. More likely, our Roe would have learned Dragoon arts from either the memoirs of a hermetic dragoon laying in an abandoned house next to a skeleton clutching a dragon's eye, or be taken under the wing of a Dragoon who'd become an apostate and trained by him in order to learn how to destroy the beast that wrecked her village/defend herself from a harsh, uncaring world/survive the baddies chasing her because of her mother's crimes/etc.

 

Does that stretch lore? Sure. Stretches it really far. 

 

Could still work, though. The important thing is that the story is REALLY, REALLY GOOD. People will forgive a lot for a great story and a wonderful character. After all, at that point, the job thing is incidental, just one small facet of the character. 

 

I really wish I could find more check points to give, but frankly I believe that these four should do it.

 

I hope this helps someone a little bit!

[Oli!]

femroe example

 

 

Skipped straight to the femroes I see.

 

We seem to have discovered your preferences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a more serious note, I would like to add a fifth thing to this checklist:

 

5.) Ask yourself why you are doing this in the first place.

 

And the reason why I want to add this is because a lot of the time, people don't have an answer beyond "because everyone else is doing it." Although this reason might seem eye-roll worthy and super lame at first glance, there actually is an understandable reason for thinking this way. Although being super-powerful in RP is a bad thing, it can also be reasonably un-fun to be entirely useless in the middle of a group doing something.

 

So when a player (especially one that is new to the game or new to the RP community) comes along and sees everyone picking a job for their characters on an IC level, they'll probably think, "well, I guess I should get one of those too so that I don't fall behind." To quote the Incredibles for the five-billionth time, "when everyone's super, no will be."

 

In a way, I would actually argue that part of the reason why we see so many Jobs in the first place is because we have created an artificial baseline for power in the community that, ultimately, requires a Job to fulfill. It's pretty lame to stand on the sidelines with your Thaumaturge going "oh, well I was going to do a thing, but that Black Mage over there has it handled, I guess," and the easiest solution to stop that from happening in the future, save for asking that Black Mage to stop being a Black Mage (which they won't because why should they listen to you) is to make your character a Black Mage yourself. They're already out there, right? What could go wrong?

 

"But Creativity!" You cry. "There are ways to make things work regardless of what they are!" And although I would not hold that thinking to an absolute, I would be more than willing to concede that there are better ways for a Thaumaturge to make themselves useful in a sea of Black Mages, or something similar. But the problem is that there are still some things that Jobs can do that their base classes can't. Monks can summon their inner power to break rocks in half with their fists. The only thing that that Pugilist over there is going to break is their hand. White Mages can summon a forbidden energy to work medical wonders. Conjurers can do the same, sort-of, though it's stated time and time again that they're not working with the floodgates open like White Mages are. Summoners can whip out Primal Manifestations with the swish of a pen. That Arcanist over there is going to get used to his sparkle-dog-squirrel-fox-thing and he's going to like it.

 

Long story short, Squeenix has, whether we like it or not, given us a world in which artificial power tiers already exist, which I think is part of the reason why this community struggles back and forth when trying to come to terms with Job-related debates and discussions. Combine the built-in power-levels with a community-wide distaste for falling behind in the power-curve, and we end up with messy situations like this. Whether one subscribes to the "no Jobs!" opinion or thinks the "everyone should have any Job all the time!" opinion, or the "some are okay but some can't work" opinion, or something else that I haven't listed here is irrelevant; the problem, at least based on what I'm seeing, is that we're having a lot of trouble figuring out how to make a fair playing-ground out of a clearly unfair one.

 

Oh man, this went so far off-topic from what I originally wanted to say.

[Berrod Armstrong]

Hmm. The checklist for me is:

 

1.) Do I want to do it?

 

If yes, then proceed.

 

 

Very interesting guidelines, though! I'm sure they'll be of help to people who need them.

[Gegenji]

If I may be so bold as to add one, which I think should be included on any creative process:

 

6.) Don't be afraid to ask for help!

 

There's a lot to take in when making a character in a set lore, whether it be Final Fantasy or wherever else. It's simple enough to ignore it and do whatever you want, but that will often lead to conflict when you try to interact with other players. Trying to fit into the lore, as mentioned, can help your character fit better into the world as a whole. It can be a difficult process.

 

However, you should remember that you don't have to do this alone - this is a massively multiplayer online game. While you want to tweak your approach for them, they can also serve to help you out too. Whether it be figuring out your character's back-story, how to script a battle, or how to role-play in general, there's others who are willing to help you out. Don't be afraid to ask for some guidance if you're stumbling at some point or another. And even if you're uncomfortable with straight up asking, there's nothing wrong with just observing and seeing how other people play their characters.

 

(EDIT: Made it a little more eloquent, rather than just a simple stream of consciousness... :blush: )

[TheDerpCat]

maybe it also helps if you first role play him before he gets the job or on his/her way of getting it. This way you flesh out you're character first before you get to include/role play the job in your character.

[Verad]

Do I Care About Playing With As Many People As Possible?

 

I say this because all of the first four checkpoints seem to rely on making the character palatable to the broadest possible audience - they're all built around not upsetting anybody who might potentially maybe be interested in playing with you.

 

But I may not care about that. I may be more interested in playing with a group of trusted friends, and I may be making this character and developing this concept specifically for use with that group alone. 

 

If this is the case, then the first four points don't really matter as much.

[Aaron]

Aaron is about to be a IC materia hunter after recent events.

 

Already has a chest full of savage and elements materia

[Gegenji]

Do I Care About Playing With As Many People As Possible?

 

You make a pretty fair point. The intended audience (if I may use such a term for the others you RP with) does play pretty heavily on what you can and cannot... "get away with," I suppose would be the term.

 

I would think that keeping some of the points in mind might still help, though - especially the generic bits about fleshing your character out - to better play the character and make them feel more alive to both you and whomever you choose to play with.

 

Plus, it never hurts to have some ideas in place should you try to step outside your circle should you ever feel the urge to.

[Aris]

I've found this helpful despite not roleplaying as a job. Thanks for the tips. 

[Seriphyn]

Do I Care About Playing With As Many People As Possible?

 

I say this because all of the first four checkpoints seem to rely on making the character palatable to the broadest possible audience - they're all built around not upsetting anybody who might potentially maybe be interested in playing with you.

 

There's a saying, about how some conformity prevents a lot of narcissism.

[Warren Castille]

Sliding scale of Who versus What.

 

Folks preoccupied with Who their character is tend to be more likely the "organic" sort of character. That is to say, those seem to be the people who let the roleplay sculpt and effect their character's destination.

 

Folks more concerned with What their character is tend to start from an idea - In the OP it's that Roe Dragoon. The concept defines the character from the get-go, and the details will fall into place later.

 

This isn't to say ALL people who started their femroe dragoon didn't arrive there through backstory or roleplay, nor is it that all folks who ride the tide of the overall story not nudging themselves in a certain direction. Hence, the Sliding Scale of Who versus What.

[Gone.]

Threads like this really only help perpetuate a stigma that I have yet to actually see in-game. Even on the forums it's confined to what, one or two people? Just totally unnecessary imo, especially when these are questions any writer should be asking themselves in the first place.

 

Hell, I show up in my Healer's Robes and Thyrus cane all the time and I've never once been given grief over it. Besides, it's not my fault CNJ/WHM gets the short end of the aesthetics stick outside of AF and the ST set which I just can't be bothered to try and get no matter how gorgeous it is because the 24-man stuff is just way, way too stressful for me.

[Flickering Ember]

Roleplayers have been building their characters around the class they play for ages now. No one ever seemed to care in previous games. There has never been, for example, a time where a class didn't dictate that character's archetype. We are used to seeing booky mages and charming rogues. There are altruistic healers and bloodthirsty warriors, nature-loving archers and seedy users of the dark arts.

 

Roleplayers generally prefer to roleplay with characters that aren't one trick ponies and they prefer for them to also make sense. Any Roleplayer could abuse their character's powers.

 

This thread is well-intentioned. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, though, I just wish this wouldn't be a big deal when it never has been in any other fantasy universe. These are good tips for making characters that can be applied universally without just classes or jobs being the main factor.

[Verad]

Do I Care About Playing With As Many People As Possible?

 

I say this because all of the first four checkpoints seem to rely on making the character palatable to the broadest possible audience - they're all built around not upsetting anybody who might potentially maybe be interested in playing with you.

 

There's a saying, about how some conformity prevents a lot of narcissism.

 

There are many sayings.

[Mercurias]

Sliding scale of Who versus What.

 

Folks preoccupied with Who their character is tend to be more likely the "organic" sort of character. That is to say, those seem to be the people who let the roleplay sculpt and effect their character's destination.

 

Folks more concerned with What their character is tend to start from an idea - In the OP it's that Roe Dragoon. The concept defines the character from the get-go, and the details will fall into place later.

 

This isn't to say ALL people who started their femroe dragoon didn't arrive there through backstory or roleplay, nor is it that all folks who ride the tide of the overall story not nudging themselves in a certain direction. Hence, the Sliding Scale of  Who versus What.

 

You're correct that I'm only giving one possible method. There are a LOT of different ways to choose from, and I wholeheartedly agree that an organic format of roleplay and story is best. My own main character was initially set in stone to become a Summoner, for example, and I was simply waiting for the opportunity for him to encounter a Primal and earn his stripes at the risk of being Tempered. 

 

...And then he decided out from under me that was was going to become a healer and protector. Sato's a Scholar now. He's never bothered to fight a Primal. It was never that important to him as a result of how his experiences shaped who he became.

 

Do I Care About Playing With As Many People As Possible?

 

I say this because all of the first four checkpoints seem to rely on making the character palatable to the broadest possible audience - they're all built around not upsetting anybody who might potentially maybe be interested in playing with you.

 

But I may not care about that. I may be more interested in playing with a group of trusted friends, and I may be making this character and developing this concept specifically for use with that group alone. 

 

If this is the case, then the first four points don't really matter as much.

 

You're correct. I'd simply seen a large number of threads starting with "Why does everyone think x concept is bad?" and am trying to come up with a way for them to weave their own ideas in a way that will allow them to play with as many people as possible.

 

 

Oli!

femroe example

 

 

Skipped straight to the femroes I see.

 

We seem to have discovered your preferences.

 

 

Ahahahahaha! I actually think Femroes are very cool and underrepresented in the game. They have awesome character models. Dunno if that makes them my preference, though.

[ArmachiA]

On the roleplaying in a bubble thing: That's fine if you intent to stay in the bubble. I had someone jump my case thought because her super overpowered demi-god wasn't accepted by me because her friends totally let her play it -- therefore everyone had to accept it. Me, I'm not personally comfortable roleplaying with any sort of demon/angel/primal. Voidsents are the exception since they seem so common, but even then only as glorified NPC's. I'm unsure about people having them as their main.

Actually, I'm okay with people roleplaying fantastical things as NPCs or Villians in a story -- if it's lore compliant of course -- as long as it's for a specific story and not trying to interact at the Quicksand. Yes, I'd even be okay with someone playing some embodiment of Garuda for a STORY, letting the character go once the story is over. Stories need fantastical elements. I get that. And things are much more rich when someone is behind the wheel of the villian or thing.

 

I really only have one peice of advice (Besides follow lore, because that's honestly my preference) and it was said above. Build a character that happens to be a class, not a class that happens to be a character.