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I have learned of a way of doing well, I just don’t like doing it often and usually keep to one PC rather a series of PCs. However, if you don’t know how to approach this type of PC well then it’s best to leave them as a NPC rather than a main. and get your enjoyment while creating depth for your PC. The bad part, many attempts I’ve seen result in that and it’s a bit sad.
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Racheli Desdemona is a favorite PC of mine, and she is a bit of an over independent bitch like Kasy, through I think she might be more verbal, that you have to really work to peel away her defenses. I usually have a loophole for her which is her belief of what is right and wrong. Namely, while she doesn’t really care for moral codes, she does have a vague sense of it and tries hard to follow it despite not really feeling it. Mainly because she doesn’t want to singled out and seen as a freak among those she learns to care for. That is an interaction trigger that I can easily latch onto and allow her to get attached to the target it’s related to much easier than breaking her character. In the end, it’s really how you approach it that really makes the difference.
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Sometimes a nudge, even an annoying one, is all it takes for what I call ‘Walled-off’ characters to open up. I often talk select player I feel might help and give them information about how to get into Racheli’s communication graces, through we try to work the scene in our favor rather than making it seem unnatural. Manipulate the scene sort of speak which strangely enough, I don’t understand why some people class doing something as simple as a PC having a bad day where nothing goes right as something negative if it gets the two PCs to talk and interact to a good degree. I often have Rach being picked on by ‘God” and her cursing the bastard out (which in a sense is me, not the actual being mind you) which I laugh my ass off because it amuses me.
Know what's sad? Years later, I never figured out how to multiquote. #talented.
I think it is something that can be done if handled carefully, and as you mentioned, you must have some kind of thread to latch onto that can bring a loner character into a group dynamic and actually be social. I kind of realized after years of playing that most games don't last long enough to let long-burn character arcs come to fruition, so it kind of helps to have some short-term milestones if you want a character to have some meaningful development. It's like with Tanya, I've played her quite a few times, and mostly I want to get to a point where I can get a major story element concluded for her character before I'll be really satisfied retiring her, so to speak. Like, 5th time's the charm... or something.
And agreed with the walled off character nudge, as I'm sure you gathered from my example. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes another character going out of their way to do said nudge, and the walled off character has to be receptive of it to some degree. And I agree, characters in horrible situations having an interaction can be really insightful, sometimes more so than if they're "happy". I've had some of my favorite character moments when every character involved felt like a giant bag of shit. It was great.
Speaking of that, Does anyone have a favorite trope they enjoy doing? Mine's a little obvious.
I have a few, I kind of like to go between a few favorites. I usually like playing as outlier characters that are from a different culture or species than the main one featured in the game, playing charismatic and charming rogues, gruff no-nonsense fighters who are very purpose driven, idealistic individuals who are going against all odds to save something they care about, and one of my personal favorites, the cold scientist types with extremely loose ethics.
I definitely hit similar beats all the time, but I do like to switch up characters from game to game depending on the ideas that come to mind.
