Character Bias

[JayTee]

Whenever I play a RPG of some kind, I always play one of three types of characters:

The Badass Normal: A human with absolutely no magic or supernatural (or technological, depending on the setting) powers, who relies on his own skills and wit to to save the day.

The Mage: The Human Wizard, throwing down the arcane power left and right, solving problems (and calling down fire from the sky) with the length and breadth of the arcane powers.

The Hybrid: A mix of the two, usually a fighter with some healing/buffing powers or a Wizard with some good physical skills.

That said, I always play as the human, no matter what choice of the three I pick. I simply cannot stand to play as an elf or a dwarf of some other type of race. Admittedly it's probably limiting my RP experiences to a degree, but I feel like I've grown comfortable with that style that I can adapt it fairly easily across different settings.

That said, is there a race/class combo that you prefer above all others? Or a combo that you simply cannot stand to play?

[Tallyrand]

I feel like everyone who plays a lot finds themselves in these patterns.  I used to try to fight it by making characters vastly different than my norm, but I never enjoy playing them as much.  At one point, a few years ago, I actually sat down and made essentially the same 5 characters for every RPG I currently had interest in.  My standards generally break down to this.

The Fish Out of Water: Typically a talented human who has little to know awareness of the world of the game.  This character will almost invariably be young, idealistic, and actively perceptive taking cues from NPCs and other PCs as to how people are supposed to act.

The Charismatic Scoundrel: This character will be in their mid-30s, will typically work in an illegal or disreputable profession (smuggler, gunfighter, repo-man).  They will be good people in the style of Han Solo and Mal but will have some substantial flaw they keep secret (drug addiction, a past murder, religious conflict).

The Valiant Hero: On the surface this character is the classic paladin, supportive of his allies and makes substantial sacrifices to 'do the right thing' especially to redress the actions of his allies or his society.  This character will generally though have a significant conflict with whatever cause he serves.

The Survivor: Strangely this character is typically very young, often just a teenager almost always homeless.  This character is generally a weird mix of pragmatist and optimist, having faith in people but always having an escape route if that faith was misplaced.  This character will also generally have a very strong sense of family, with family being the only thing this character will sacrifice his safety for.

The Charming Sociopath: This character is typically a serial killer (although can be an arsonist, terrorist or other similar 'evil' hobby) but holds a career antithetical to their passion.  This character will generally be highly effective at both of his particular specialties (the most common for me being poison and medicine) to the point that it will hopefully be a difficult choice for the other players when they discover his true nature.

The Elder: This character is generally but not always older, but always the most experienced member of his party.  He is weary of his activities but continues out of a sense of duty and contact with his younger team mates reminds him of his glory days.  This character will be rife with war stores and advice and generally have some significant regrets about his past both personal and professional.

In my current Dresden Files game I'm switching from a Fish Out of Water to a Charismatic Scoundrel and in my D&D game I'm playing a Valiant Hero.

[Becq]

You racist!  (Just kidding.)

Hey, it's all personal preference.  I've played all sorts, myself, in a variety of different systems -- humans, halflings, gnomes, elves, a half-ogre, at least one orc, and no doubt at least a few others.  My wife has noticed that when we are playing games together, she is often a 'tall' race (or just a tall character), and I am often a 'short' race (or just a short character), which amuses her since in reality I am more than a foot taller than her.  Though largely that derives from the fact that the game in question is often an online game, and I find that looking over the shoulder of a small character gives me more situational awareness than with a tall character.

[JayTee]

I actually considered naming this thread "PC Racism", but wisely felt that it would be a wee bit controversial 


Going a bit more in depth to the character I play: He's always raised in a military family. Usually joining the military and entered in a war or two before having it end in a calamity and then honorably discharged (I usually kill off his unit following the old cliche, so I'm inclined to be nice to him after that). After that he's usually a big game hunter and amateur cartographer before the plot starts and the shit hits the fan.

[Tallyrand]

So far as race goes I generally play a human, primarily because in any RPG there are enough things about a character that's different than you to think about adding in "and I'll live to be 1000" or "and I've never seen the sun" doesn't seem necessary.  I do have a variety of non-human characters I like to play, but all told I'm about 60% human characters, 40% other.

[SunlessNick]

If I'm playing a human, it tends to be what would be a minor talent or focussed practitioner in DFRPG terms.

If I'm playing a supernatural, it tends to be a ghost/revenant or some sort of werecreature.

Generally I play people who are basically good, or try to be, or think highly of being (though they might cock it up).

I usually play female characters unless there's a specific reason to make them male.

[admiralducksauce]

Fighter/something.  My favorite characters in the past have generally tended towards sneaky fighters, whether that's the literal fighter/thief or something like a special forces guy or even Deadpool.  Their personalities will be such that they enjoy their jobs.  I cannot abide angst and I avoid it in my PCs.

Lastly, I make sure my concept (and even who I'd cast as my character, which I like to do a lot) is fallible.  What I mean is, I might make a character build like Arnold Schwartzenegger but I'll see him as Dolph Lundgren instead.  My mind can't handle an Arnold character who fails, but I'm okay with a PC-as-Dolph Lundgren screwing up here and there.

[InFerrumVeritas]

I try to deviate from my norms, but I tend to default to Charismatic Scoundrel and Jaded Veteran quite often.  Often, I've played Overconfident Mage or Rogue Priest.  That being said, what I tend to do is make a handful of characters (typically one for each role in whatever game) and then pick the one most unlike the group I'm playing in's characters. 

[evileeyore]

I tend to seperate the roles into two areas:  Expertise and Personality...


Expertise wise I prefer 2 types:  Johnny One Skill - someone who is a master at doing that one thing, but he's not so good at anything else; and the Jack of All Trades - someone is second or third best at doing everything.  I rarely play the "Wizard" the guy who is great at everything, I think that's boring.


Personality:

Loveable Rogue - not necessarily charming, though they might be, but more endearing.  When they get into trouble, which they always do, it's laughed off.  They also have a tendency towards failure, which puts a blunt edge on any cutting they might do inter-party wise.

Stone Cold Killer - They don't like killing (okay sometimes they do), they are just ready to do it.  They prefer when things go "according to plan" and violence is minimized, but when killing has to be done, it's done.  No fuss, no muss, no second thoughts.  They are also not above causing pain to achieve their goals.

Tarnished Paladin - Sometimes they lost Faith in the why of "why the war is being fought" but they haven't lost sight of the cause.  They no longer fight because they belive, they fight because they have to, because no one else will.  Usually they lost something or someone important during the war, their ideals or a loved one.  He is still fighting the good fight, but now he's questioning his motives, or questioning his tactics.  Probably still above committing "wrongs" in the causes name, but likely has at least once.

Exuberantly Heroic - Often a younger (early twenties or even teenage) "do-gooder" who launches selflessly headlong at problems.  Often their only tool is a hammer, so every problem is a nail.  They can grow into the other three types above pretty easily depending on how a campaign goes...


[EDIT]
"Race" wise?  I tend towards Elves in a fantasy setting, though I'm not above playing other types.
[/EDIT]

[Haru]

You could say I was a dwarven player, until I found a tinier race, but that would only be halve the truth. I do like playing dwarves, gnomes and halflings, always have, can't really tell why. Only in Shadowrun I play a large number of orcs. Never a human, though.

I prefer specialists over generalists, concept wise, but that is generally the way my group prefers to play. Build up a team of specialists and let each deal with the situations he is skilled for. I rarely go for a fighter, most often it is a mage or priest like character.

[Silverblaze]

I play a lot of different roles.  Whatever a game has for it's version of race, class...etc. I usually want to try them all out if possible and mix in different personalities.

I usually play someone mildly charismatic to very.  I try to be the nice guy in groups, because most of my groups liked being mean, or sociopathic, or just abrasive in game.  Most groups need a smooth talker or "leader" type.  I generally get cast there.

In fantasy games I like fighters/somethings, but i am so proficient with spell use I'm often filling the spell caster spot.

Skill wise, I like to be good at one thing and at lest competent at several.  I do enjoy some jack of all trade types.  I do not enjoy "one trick ponies" aka one shot wonders (for those needing explanation: a character that only does one thing, but does so very very very well...those are kinda boring to me...lacks dpeth in my opinion.

I do enjoy the "Ug Smash!" on occasion, quite cathartic.  
I like playing characters with strong codes: be it religion, honor, or otherwise.
I don't mind angst..likely why I enjoy Vampire the Masquerade.

I don't  really have a character bias...with a caveat.  I don't usually like playing something with a lower roleplaying potential (possible PC's/NPC's that will tolerate my existence in game). Allow me to explain before everyone tells me roleplaying can be found anywhere. Which it can.  Caveat follows:

I can play scary looking stuff, I can play ugly people/things, I can play dumb things, I can play rude things. However,if you mix several or all of those qualities, I won't be roleplaying with NPC's much, they'll avoid my character. I'd be basically reduced to monosyllabic grunts and rude gestures at party members. (exaggeration yes).

That's not fun for me.  Neither is playing a droid in Star Wars...9 times out of 10 anyhow...might be fun on rare occasion.

[devonapple]

My tendency is to create Swiss-Army-knife characters, especially ones which can be clue/plot mouthpieces. Human Bards, generally, but I have gone outside of the human spectrum to make characters. In campaigns which allow other races, I've played half-elves, a cyborg shapechanger, an Atlantean hydromancer, a dwarven psionicist, and others.

[jadecourtflunky]

Due to my GMing at my school, I often have an NPC character who I "play", and is the leader or mentor for the group. I also like non-traditional creatures: I don't like to play the straight wizard or changeling, but instead go for the Doppelganger or Mystic Martial Artist.

[toturi]

I try to create and play characters that are versatile and competent. Versatile enough that I would have something to do in all but the most specific situations, and competent enough that the character succeeds in all but the most contrived circumstances.

I am a firm believer that I need to do my part in character creation to ensure that I enjoy the game. I should not expect and do not expect the GM to tailor the game to my character. Thus I optimise my character and make sure it is as optimal as I can make it - that is part of the fun; as a GM, I expect the same of my players' characters.

[JayTee]

A bit off topic, but if you have any suggestions on how to do just that for a Pure Mortal character, would you kindly PM them to me? I can get behind the sentiment 100%