Post by <3Moth<3 on Jun 3, 2011 11:53:58 GMT -6
So you can easily recognize an overdone, Mary-Sue type charrie or so you can take one of the expected subtypes and break outside that stereotype completely! Either or, this was meant to be a help to someone :]
THE GOOD GUY
He is such a sweetheart - and we really mean it. He's a great guy. He saves puppies from drowning on the weekend after doing a volunteer shift at the orphanage where he paints pictures for the kids and helps cook dinner every evening. He doesn't party/drink/do drugs/sleep around/bully people/skip school/get fired from working ever. Cause he does the right thing. He's an upstanding guy and everybody loves him for it. If his friends ever need him or if something bad ever goes down - everyone knows they can depend on him. HE WILL DO ANYTHING FOR HIS FRIENDS! And he hates to see a girl cry, omg. I mean why not, he's the good guy afterall. He has all the good advice/everyone's back/world peace in his pocket.
The cure to the common Good Guy: It's okay to give him a quirk or a dirty secret or a bad boy past or something that spices him up. As he stands, he might come off as too boring to other players and you don't want that.
THE BITCH
You do not fuck with her. Period. She'll bite your head off and eat your kids in one chomp. Nom. Delicious. She has attitude/a chip on her shoulder/a stick up her ass and she is perfectly fine with it. Trouble follows her everywhere, right? You cannot tell her no/to wait/that she can't have your boyfriend, she doesn't know the definition of such things. And if you try and stand in her way, she'll verbally cut your legs from under you too. Snip snip. Daddy pays for everything too - where else does she get the money to look so good, sing so well, get all the boys and have all the perfect grades too? Oh and boys? She has so many, bitch doesn't know what to do with them. But YOU better not get near him. Why? Cause she said so, bitch!
The cure to the common Bitch: There really is no wrong way to play a bitch. But like all good well-rounded characters, she needs a flaw that can't be her bitchiness. Cause lots of people would agree that being a bitch isn't really a flaw - it's a personality trait. Move beyond her attitude and develop other aspects of her.
THE GAY GUY
He is fucking glamorous, thank you very much. He can dance better than you, cook better than you and love better than you, too. And if you don't like him, like everyone else - you're just jealous because his hair is nicer. And his clothes are more stylish. Brightly colored too, betch. As a kid he was probably beat-up alot/rejected by would-be friends/misunderstood by his parents and siblings. But all of that is okay now, cause he's a star. And he has more sexy boytoys/shoes/make-up than he knows what to do with. Oh and about him being gay? He will shout that shit from any and every rooftop. He doesn't care who knows now. Not even the freakin' President. This dude is so sexy - he could turn Obama gay.
The cure to the common Gay Guy: He's still a guy and not all gay guys are void of masculinity. Not everyone is super comfortable with their sexuality, too if you want to add a layer of realism. Don't assume that everyone in his past had a massive problem with him being gay, either. Our generation is a lot more accepting of peoples differences than past generations (and this has been scientifically proven).
THE BAD BOY/THE TOUGH GUY
He didn't have it so great growing up - which totally explains why he does drugs/hits his girlfriend/got arrested/can't hold a job. He doesn't give a crap about anybody either. Well, maybe the girl he screws if she has really amazing sex. Piss him off? And he'll beat you up, foo! And he's never lost a fight! And don't tell him how to talk/behave/treat other people - cause he'll cuss you out too, son! He's been poor/on the wrong side of the tracks/without parents/in the bad part of town alllll his life. And he doesn't wanna change. He's perfectly fucking fine the way he is.
The cure to the common Bad Boy or Tough Guy: In the same way that a Good Boy needs some quirks that give him spice, give a Bad Boy one or two little things that shows that once upon a time he had a heart or give him something to like that isn't completely repulsive. A charrie that's 100% bad with no soul, no heart, no halfway believable history, likes and dislikes, etc. is gonna fall flat.
THE RELIGIOUS KID
Raised in a church/convent/mosque, the Religious Kid isn't just talk. They lived that whole lifestyle. Services every Sunday, Charity benefits, Youth Group meetings - all that good stuff. They were taught that gay people/evolution/abortion is the devil. And they believed it completely. But then they went away to college/on tour/to another town... and now they have cut loose completely. They are done with religion. They're experimenting with drugs/sex/scandal cause it's fun and exciting and new. They're all cute and naive about it too. Forget morals and values and crap! You just shut up and give this kid another beer, okay?
The cure to the common Religious Kid: Making someone 'religious' for the sole purpose of having them 'lose their religion'...? Does that really sound like something you can RP over and over again? I've seen this before and it was not only a stupid idea (which triggered incoherent plots), it offended lots people. Give the kid a mind of their own. Make the transition gradual if you must have one. Be respectful of people who are religious (no matter what the religion is) and don't offend anybody by making broad generalizations!
THE VICTIM
She's passive, sweet, kind and sorta shy. Everyone likes her, but she is easssssssyyyyy to walk all over. And it's probably how she got into that abusive relationship/fell into the wrong crowd/ended up hurt in the first place. She was sweet enough, but she just wasn't that smart in the end. But it's totally not her fault, cause she was an orphan/never dated a guy like him before/a doormat/believed with all her heart that they really liked her and really just wanted to be her friend. Now she's found somebody she can trust, but spends most of her time keeping them at arms length. Cause you know, eventually they'll ride to her rescue and make everything better. You know - they'll help save her.
The cure to the common Victim: The victim persona can only get you so far plotwise, until you're gonna have to show some depth, development or the girl wising up. All victims of crimes/rape/abuse/manipulation/etc. are not timid little animals who pretty much had it coming because of their sweet, submissive natures. Develop your girl, make her grow and don't look for a savior in other characters right off the bat.
THE SOUTHERN BELLE
She's pretty. She's blonde. She's a baptist and she's probably the most prim and proper thing you've ever seen in your life. Sports? Slutty dancing? All that kind of crap? She's too good/too smart/TOO LADYLIKE/too high society to even get all caught up in that. And, lawd, she has the most darlin' accent you've ever heard too! Oh but she isn't boring! Cause she knows her football/knows how to party/can cook/can drink with the best of them. But she never wears too much make-up. Never goes out of the house without the right outfit. Is always charming. And all the guys just love her.
The cure to the common Belle: The Southern Belle is a ridiculous stereotype of the 'ideal woman.' And she is also a Mary-Sue for people trying to get around a Mary-Sue. Stop it. Just stop it right now.
THE MANWHORE/THE SLUT
He's a womanizer. And she's a sex goddess. Lost their virginity in middle school, has slept with 23 and counting people since then and has a wildfire reputation. It's nothing to them. Absolutely nothing! Sex means nothing, but a way to get your rocks off. They've done every position and every type of sex you can possibly have - including the shit you've never even heard of before. Oh and they hit on anything with a pulse. Literally. Older guys, younger girls, both sexes, friends, enemies, teachers, bosses, fish, you just can't stop them. They're smooth and they always get what they want, baby. Except love. Oh the manwhore and the slut never gets the person they want to fall in love with them - boohoo. Which in turn, drives them to do more of what?! Have sex! Cause that's just what they do best!
The cure to the common Manwhore or Slut: GIVE HIM/HER A SOUL! No one just whores around 24/7 with no reason whatsoever, I don't care what you say. There is a reason why they're like this. It can be that they were raised by hippies, their dad owns a porn studio, they're breaking away from tradition, they find their self-worth in it. Whatever the reason, just give them one! With no reason or story behind it, it falls flat.
