Post by Archetype 401 on Jan 13, 2005 17:30:06 GMT -5
Alright, I've been looking over some weaknesses that people have posted (who I'll leaved unnamed) and they seem... well... not weaknesses. It appears that people are thinking up weak (metaphorically speaking) weaknesses. Is this because they do not wish to have their characters blemished with weakness? Perhaps they don't want to place a black mark on their God-like ways? Who knows?
I would just like to know if there are "guide-lines" for acceptible weaknesses or not.
To be quite honest, I wouldn't really care what another person's weaknesses were if they actually RPed it.
But if a person has “Old Age” listed as a weakness and it doesn’t seem to hinder or weaken them in the least, it seems like they’re sort of slipping through a loop hole.
Here’s an example of a lame weakness:
If “Zero” were to put “Dire Loyalty” as a weakness. “Dire Loyalty” states that she would do anything, even die, for Bass.
Now, is that a weakness, or is it just a dynamic characterization that has formed over time, aiding to the detail and depth of the Zero/Bass relationship?
See what I mean? It is one thing to have a very detailed and well put together character. But I think it is slightly annoying that people use their character details as weaknesses (within reason).
I can understand that if in your character background you wrote about how you were swept away by a flash flood as an infant, survived, and you listed “Fear of Water” as a weakness. But putting things that wouldn’t really make your character “weak” (being a bit older than everyone else, being allergic to grass, not being able to smell) is just getting out of having to make a weakness for your character the easy way.
So, I ask all of you to make thought-out weaknesses. Think of them not as, “Oh d**n these things, now everyone will know how to hurt me,” think of them more as, “Hmm, this will be a good way to define my character and ad depth and individuality to my character.”
I know, “But being old DOES make you weak!” But should it really slide by as a weakness? I think not.
Of course, it’s not up to me, but from the peanut gallery I say: take pride in your weaknesses! Don’t be stiff!
Examples of "Weaknesses" that seem more like characteristics:
Arrogance, Being vain...
I would just like to know if there are "guide-lines" for acceptible weaknesses or not.
To be quite honest, I wouldn't really care what another person's weaknesses were if they actually RPed it.
But if a person has “Old Age” listed as a weakness and it doesn’t seem to hinder or weaken them in the least, it seems like they’re sort of slipping through a loop hole.
Here’s an example of a lame weakness:
If “Zero” were to put “Dire Loyalty” as a weakness. “Dire Loyalty” states that she would do anything, even die, for Bass.
Now, is that a weakness, or is it just a dynamic characterization that has formed over time, aiding to the detail and depth of the Zero/Bass relationship?
See what I mean? It is one thing to have a very detailed and well put together character. But I think it is slightly annoying that people use their character details as weaknesses (within reason).
I can understand that if in your character background you wrote about how you were swept away by a flash flood as an infant, survived, and you listed “Fear of Water” as a weakness. But putting things that wouldn’t really make your character “weak” (being a bit older than everyone else, being allergic to grass, not being able to smell) is just getting out of having to make a weakness for your character the easy way.
So, I ask all of you to make thought-out weaknesses. Think of them not as, “Oh d**n these things, now everyone will know how to hurt me,” think of them more as, “Hmm, this will be a good way to define my character and ad depth and individuality to my character.”
I know, “But being old DOES make you weak!” But should it really slide by as a weakness? I think not.
Of course, it’s not up to me, but from the peanut gallery I say: take pride in your weaknesses! Don’t be stiff!
Examples of "Weaknesses" that seem more like characteristics:
Arrogance, Being vain...
